Dylan Moore goes deep twice on big night at the plate

As a reigning American League Gold Glove Award winner, Seattle Mariners utilityman Dylan Moore is known for his defense and versatility.

But on Tuesday evening in Cincinnati, it was Moore’s bat that made the loudest statement.

M’s rookie Ben Williamson gets first career hit

Moore hit a leadoff solo home run in the first inning, added an RBI single in the second inning and then went deep again with a two-run shot in the fifth. It marked the fourth multi-homer game of Moore’s seven-year career.

After his 3-for-3 start on Tuesday, Moore was hitting .324 with four homers and a 1.071 OPS in 34 at-bats this season. He’s already one-third of the way toward matching his career-high 12 homers in 2021.

Moore’s big night began on the second pitch of the game, when he launched an 0-1 sinker from Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo to center field for a 429-foot blast. It was Moore’s first career leadoff homer.

In his next at-bat, Moore hit a hard grounder through the hole on the left side for a two-out single. It brought home rookie third baseman Ben Williamson, who reached on a single in his first career at-bat.

And in his third trip to the plate, Moore turned on a first-pitch changeup from Lodolo and lined it into the left-field seats for his second homer of the night.

Moore drove in all four of Seattle’s runs off Lodolo, who entered the game allowing just two earned runs in 18 2/3 innings over his first three starts this season.

Moore, who was getting his first start of the year in right field, became the first Mariners leadoff hitter to hit multiple homers in a game since Julio Rodríguez accomplished the feat in September 2022.

Facing lefties this season, Moore is hitting 8 for 19 with four homers. Against righties, he is 3 for 15.

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