SEATTLE — Julio Rodríguez and Mitch Garver both hit two-run home runs, Luis Castillo allowed two runs over six strong innings, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 8-4 on Sunday.
Seattle rebounded to take two of three games from the A's after the Mariners lost their first series in nearly a month earlier this week in Minnesota. And they did it thanks to the long ball.
''Our offense showed up today. Put good pressure on them early, got some big hits, home runs,'' Seattle manager Scott Servais said. ''I think I mentioned it last night, I really liked where Julio was headed. His timing looks so much better and we saw it today.''
Rodríguez's homer was just his second of the season and his first at T-Mobile Park in Seattle's 22nd home game. Rodríguez hit a 2-2 pitch from Oakland starter Alex Wood out to straightaway center field in the second inning for a two-run shot that gave Seattle a 5-0 lead. The homer had an exit velocity of 109 mph and traveled an estimated 409 feet.
''You've got to stay patient and let the results come and I feel like today was the day and I'm really happy about that, that I was able to help the team win,'' Rodríguez said.
Rodríguez nearly homered in his next at-bat in the fifth inning, doubling off the top of the wall, but jogged home when Garver hit his fifth of the season to give Seattle a 7-1 lead. Garver also had a two-out RBI single in the first inning.
Seby Zavala added his first home run of the season for the Mariners, a solo shot in the sixth.
Following a sluggish start to the season, Castillo (4-5) has now gone six straight starts allowing two earned runs or fewer each time. Castillo needed 100 pitches to get through six innings, but closed his outing with strikeouts of Shea Langeliers and J.D. Davis with runners on base.
