SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 10: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park on September 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Jack Compton / Getty Images)
SEATTLE - The Seattle Mariners still have a massive hill to climb, but if they're going to make a late playoff push, Thursday's 4-3 comeback win over the Texas Rangers could be a critical victory in the ascent.
Julio Rodríguez hit a three-run home run off Jakob Junis as part of a four-run seventh inning as the Mariners flipped a game that had been dominated by a vintage Jacob deGrom start for Texas. deGrom carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before a Cole Young single off deGrom's glove gave the Mariners their only baserunner. deGrom carved up Seattle's lineup with 12 strikeouts and no walks before exiting with a 3-0 lead.
But Junis couldn't record a single out in the four batters he faced as the Mariners wiped out deGrom's stellar outing.
The backstory:
Junis hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to lead-off the seventh inning, and he came around to score on an RBI single from Dominic Canzone. Cal Raleigh also singled before Rodríguez hammered a first-pitch sinker from Junis 410 feet over the Texas bullpen to quickly give the Mariners a 4-3 lead.
It was a stunning reversal given how completely overwhelmed Seattle's offense looked through six innings against deGrom.
deGrom struck out eight of nine Seattle hitters on his first trip through the Mariners' lineup, with Josh Naylor the only player to put a ball in play with a soft groundout to second base. Two more innings went by without anyone reaching base as deGrom was perfect through five innings. Young was lucky to be the one to break up the perfect game as his chopper to the mound was going directly to shortstop Corey Seager only to have deGrom's glove get in the way. The ball dropped behind the mound and Young reached for a hit and the first baserunner of the game for the Mariners.
deGrom bounced back with strikeouts of Lazaro Montes and Brock Rodden, and J.P. Crawford to flyout to center field to finish his six scoreless innings.
Logan Gilbert was strong for the Mariners as well, but was outclassed by his fellow Stetson University alum in deGrom.
Gilbert allowed a two-run home run to Joc Pederson in the third inning that gave Texas a 2-0 lead. Gilbert then hit Evan Carter with a pitch to lead off the fifth inning. Carter stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Cal Raleigh before a bunt single from Nicky Lopez allowed Carter to score for a 3-0 lead.
Texas applied more pressure in the inning, but a grounder to first came home to get Jake Burger at the plate, and a wild pitch from Gilbert bounced back directly to Raleigh to allow an easy tag on Lopez to escape further damage. Gilbert also made a great on Wyatt Langford at the plate after another wild pitch to end the seventh inning to allow for the Mariners rally to follow.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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