Are they back? Mariners explode for 8-run inning

Sep 7, 2025, 10:41 AM | Updated: 1:51 pm

Editor, Seattle Sports

The Seattle Mariners may have put their recent road woes behind them.

A day after a dramatic Julio Rodríguez home run helped the M’s beat the Braves 10-2 and snap a four-game skid, he and the Seattle offense just kept on rolling in an 18-2 win in Atlanta.

Recap: Mariners crush Braves for first road series win of second half

Half of the Mariners’ runs Sunday came when they exploded for eight in the third inning Sunday to jump out to a commanding 9-0 lead. And yes, Julio was right in the middle of it.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Seattle’s star center fielder ripped a three-run double off Braves third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. that even scored Cal Raleigh all the way from first base.

Julio stays hot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NQy2qTd01z

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 7, 2025

In the inning, which started with a nicely placed 0-2 single by Victor Robles to right field, the M’s batted around, eventually sending a whopping 12 batters to the plate.

In addition to Julio’s big double, the Mariners scored on:

• A two-run Jorge Polanco home run, his 24th homer of the year that just got over the wall at 348 feet.

Punished by Polo! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/WEnTSAg8Bs

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 7, 2025

• Josh Naylor’s 385-foot solo shot, his 18th homer of the year, that went back-to-back with Polanco’s.

josh said MY TURN pic.twitter.com/gDeTkV46mu

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 7, 2025

• A two-run single by Randy Arozarena in the 11th plate appearance in the frame.

The bats are feeling it in HOTlanta 🔥 #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/JI6bixBwFm

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 7, 2025

The inning was the biggest of the season for Seattle.

The 8 runs here in the third are the most the Mariners have scored in an inning this season (scored 7 twice, last time = July 11th at Detroit)

— Mike Lefko (@MikeLefko) September 7, 2025

The Mariners 8-run half of the 3rd innings took 25:03 to complete with the Braves throwing 50 pitches.

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) September 7, 2025

You can watch the whole inning here:

The Mariners already had a lead before their big third inning. With two outs and Naylor on first base in the second inning, catcher Mitch Garver drilled a deep fly to the center field wall that Atlanta’s Michael Harris II couldn’t come up with. Garver wound up with a triple while Naylor scored.

early bird gets the worm pic.twitter.com/w4tMkbAeeZ

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 7, 2025

The M’s were far from done after their big third inning. By the time their final trip to the plate in the ninth was over, they had set new season-highs in runs and hits, and tied their season-high for home runs in a game.

Eugenio Suárez hit a pair of homers to reach 45 on the season, four shy of his career-high of 49 from 2019. And Cal Raleigh added his MLB-leading 53rd homer, bringing him within one of Mickey Mantle’s switch-hitter record of 54 in a season.

Seattle’s previous season-high in runs came in a 15-7 win over Detroit on July 12.

The Mariners have set a new season-high in hits (20) and tied their single-game high in HRs (5)

— Mike Lefko (@MikeLefko) September 7, 2025

Luis Castillo bounced back from a rough recent stretch to earn the win on the mound, throwing six innings on one-run ball on four hits and no walks with six strikeouts.

Seattle now has a 75-68 record, putting them 1 1/2 games ahead of the Kansas City Royals (73-69) for the American League’s third and final wild card. The M’s are also three games back of the Houston Astros (78-65) for first place in the AL West.

The Mariners won their first series on the road since they swept the Detroit Tigers on July 11-13. Even with Saturday and Sunday’s wins, the M’s are just 8-17 in road games in the second half this season.

The Mariners return to T-Mobile Park in Seattle for a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals that begins at 6:40 p.m. Monday. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 5:30 with the pregame show.