Ben Williamson, Rowdy Tellez Make Seattle Mariners Franchise History
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The Seattle Mariners earned a crucial 8-4, extra-innings win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. The victor set the Mariners and Blue Jays up for a rubber match on Sunday. Two players of varying experience levels, Ben Williamson and Rowdy Tellez, made franchise history in that victory.
Toronto led Seattle 3-2 heading into the top of the seventh. Ben Williamson led off the inning and hit a solo home run to left field. It was a 398-foot blast that had an exit velocity of 102.9 mph.
Ben Williamson's FIRST MLB home run has us TIED UP! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/acetOD0ryR
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 19, 2025
It was Williamson's first major league home run and just the fifth of his professional career. He hit four in 150 minor league games before getting promoted.
Williamson's homer ultimately sent the game to extra innings. In the top of the 12th, after Randy Arozarena hit an RBI single to give the Mariners a 4-3 lead, Rowdy Tellez hit a grand slam.
🔱 LET'S GET ROWDY 🔱 pic.twitter.com/QF5hAmYvzZ
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 19, 2025
According to a post shared by Mariners PR on "X" (formerly known as Twitter), it's the first time since Sept. 19, 2011, that respective Seattle players hit a career-first home run and grand slam in the same game. Alex Liddi hit his first career homer that day and Mike Carp hit a grand slam.
The last time the Mariners accomplished that feat before 2011 was on June 23, 2008, when Felix Hernandez was responsible for both.
The @Mariners recorded a first-career HR (Ben Williamson) & grand slam (Rowdy Tellez) in the same game for the first time since Sept. 19, 2011 (Alex Liddi 1st HR; Mike Carp GS).
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) April 20, 2025
The time before that: June 23, 2008 when Félix Hernández did both (GS as 1st HR) in the same game. https://t.co/OoduzBMSVs
Tellez's grand slam was his second in as many games and his third of the season.
Williamson has shown flashes of being an effective player on defense and at the plate since being called up.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
WATCH: BEN WILLIAMSON HITS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE HOME RUN: The Mariners third baseman checked off another career-first with a critical homer against the Toronto Blue Jays. CLICK HERE
ROWDY TELLEZ GRAND SLAM LIFTS MARINERS TO 8-4 WIN OVER BLUE JAYS: Tellez put the nail in the coffin of his former team with his second homer in as many games in a 12-inning showdown. CLICK HERE
WATCH: CAL RALEIGH GETS BETTER OF BLUE JAYS PITCHER AFTER CONFRONTATION: The Seattle Mariners Platinum Glove-winning catcher got the better of Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios in their first face-off after an in-game argument. CLICK HERE
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