Watch: Julio Rodriguez’s first MLB hit starts Mariners rally in comeback win
Apr 9, 2022, 3:51 PM | Updated: 3:58 pm
Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners advances to second base on his first career hit and double in the ninth inning. (David Berding/Getty Images)
(David Berding/Getty Images)
The start of his MLB career didn’t go as he would have liked, but top Mariners prospect Julio Rodríguez played a major part in Seattle’s 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
Ty France, Mariners use 9th inning rally to beat Twins 4-3
After starting the day 0 for 3 with three strikeouts, Rodríguez was the leadoff man for the Mariners in the top of the ninth inning with Seattle down 3-2 after a massive Byron Buxton two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth.
Rodríguez came up big for his team, though, drilling a 94 mph fastball into the gap in left-center field for a leadoff double.
J.P. Crawford would ground out to second base, moving Rodríguez over to third base with one out before Tom Murphy would strike out.
Then, with the Mariners down to their final out, new leadoff man Adam Frazier got a fastball down in the zone but in the middle of the plate and he laced a single into the left-center gap. Frazier was aggressive out of the box and advanced to second base thanks to a very nifty “swim move” slide to avoid the tag by Carlos Correa.
Coming up clutch. #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/kueELEwONg
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 9, 2022
That slide would be key in the Mariners winning the game as Ty France would come up next and get his third hit of the day, driving in Frazier from second base. Diego Castillo then came in in the bottom of the ninth inning and slam the door with a 1-2-3 inning with three strikeouts to earn the save.
“I think there’s no panic with this team,” France said after the game. “One through nine, we can get it done and trust each and every guy, whoever it is stepping up to the plate. Julio, he hasn’t had a hit yet. It’s in the ninth inning, he just goes out and does it. Anyone in this lineup can get it done.”
Rodríguez joined Mariners insider Shannon Drayer for the walkoff interview after the win on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Mariners Radio Network. Listen to it below.
✔️ First MLB hit
✔️ First #Mariners Radio walk-off interview with @shannondrayerHear what Julio Rodríguez said after his double in the ninth ignited a rally and comeback win for the M's, as heard on Seattle Sports Station 710 AM.
"I came to play. I came to help the team win." pic.twitter.com/CyFE8qKDKv
— Seattle Sports (@SEASports710) April 9, 2022
