Julio Rodriguez Monster Home Run Lifts Seattle Mariners to 2-1 Win Over Athletics
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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners pulled out the late-game heroics again for a 2-1 win against the Athletics on Sunday at T-Mobile Park. Seattle split the four-game set with the A's with the victory.
"Great ball game today — quick one," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. " ... The wind was really blowing today. It was kind of an odd wind. Seemed like anything that was center field to right was getting knocked down but balls to left field were taking off."
Most of Game 4 went similar to the previous two contests. Seattle got two runners on in the first five innings, but couldn't bring either one across. During that same stretch, the wind robbed the Mariners of two home runs. Designated hitter Mitch Garver had a potential homer die on the warning track at right field in the second inning. Left fielder Randy Arozarena had a potential center field bomb lose steam in the fourth.
The wind also denied Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker a homer, which might have saved the game for Seattle.
A's first baseman Tyler Soderstrom hit his third homer of the series — a solo shot to left field — in the top of the fourth. The Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo limited the damage to just Soderstrom's home run. He finished with five strikeouts in six innings pitched and allowed the one earned run on three hits.
Bryan Woo, Mean Two Seamers. 😤 pic.twitter.com/K68lPBcYux
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 30, 2025
Woo outdueled A's starter JP Sears, who finished the game with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Sears allowed two earned runs on five hits. It was the first time Woo was healthy to begin a season in his major league career.
"I think (I was) appreciating the last couple of days, Opening Day, watching these first couple games," Woo said in a postgame interview. "Last year was tough missing that, not being with the team. Definitely appreciated the last couple of days a little bit more. But today, just tried to treat it like a normal game. Go out and do my job."
With the A's up 1-0, lead-off hitter Victor Robles hit his second single of the game in the bottom of the sixth to give Seattle a runner on first with one out. Unlike the first inning, Mariners franchise superstar Julio Rodriguez rewarded Robles' efforts.
Rodriguez hit a 438-foot, two-run shot to left field to score Robles and give Seattle the eventual final of 2-1. It was Rodriguez's first long ball of the season and Woo was credited for the win.
Juliooooo goes upper tank for No. 1! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/qkaldls3On
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 30, 2025
Mariners relievers Gregory Santos and Trent Thornton kept the A's from responding in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. The two allowed no hits and one free base.
Andres Munoz closed the game out for Seattle in the ninth and earned his second save of the fledgling season. He struck out two and allowed one hit.
The Mariners finished the first series of the year 2-2. They'll hope to get back over .500 in Game 1 of a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers on Monday at T-Mobile Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT.
Emerson Hancock will start for Seattle against Detroit's Jackson Lobe.
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