Watch: Mariners’ Mitch Garver greets former team with game-tying HR

SEATTLE – Mitch Garver played a pivotal role in the Texas Rangers’ run to the World Series title last season, and on Saturday night he did his best to prevent his former team from gaining any ground on the Seattle Mariners during an important three-game series.

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After the Mariners fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, Garver tied things up in the bottom half with a two-out, two-run home run off Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney. Garver’s homer came off a slider, left the bat with a 105.4 mph and traveled 397 feet, per Statcast. It plated center fielder Julio Rodríguez, who led off the inning with a walk.

The home run was Garver’s eighth of the season and brought his RBI total to 25. He now holds sole possession of second on the Mariners’ home run list this season, trailing catcher Cal Raleigh’s team-leading 12. It was also Garver’s first hit against his former team this season after he went 0-for-10 against the Rangers in a three-game series in Texas during late April.

After a disappointing start following his signing of a two-year deal with Seattle in the offseason, Garver has started to find his stroke at the plate this month. In 11 June games entering Friday, Garver was slashing .206/.357/.471 with a team-best 142 wRC+. He’s now tied with J.P. Crawford and Luke Raley for the team lead with three home runs and Raleigh for the team lead with 11 RBIs during the month.

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