Seattle Mariners Ride Timely Hitting to 3-2 Win Over Kansas City Royals
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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners got timely hits when they needed to and let the bullpen handle the rest in a 3-2 win against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park. The Mariners improved to 45-41 with the victory, remained seven games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West and maintained a 2.5-game lead for the final AL Wild Card spot over division rivals the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.
"Really good win tonight," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. "We talk about the little things, little things came up big tonight. ... Just a great job all around offensively. (Kansas City) had some tough pitching tonight, but we were able to do enough to win that. And that was an important win for us."
Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert was pulled in the fifth with the Royals ahead 1-0. He finished the game with seven strikeouts and three walks in 4.2 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits. The 2024 All-Star's lone blemish was an RBI single let up to Kansas City designated hitter Salvador Perez in the top of the first. Perez and the rest of the Royals lineup upped Gilbert's pitch count to 25 in the opening frame.
"I just try to take the good and then take the things I need to work on," Gilbert said after the game. "But ultimately, when we win like that and, all the way around, team effort, everybody doing their part, you got to be encouraged by that. ... The walks weren't great, the deep pitch count, all that kind of stuff. But still, coming out with one run isn't the worst."
Logan Gilbert, K'ing the Side in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/aqrVuzqvWA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 3, 2025
The bullpen, tasked with another long evening, showed up.
Seattle's Wednesday relievers — Gabe Speier, Carlos Vargas, Matt Brash and Andres Munoz — struck out seven of the 17 batters they faced in 4.1 combined innings. They walked one batter and allowed one earned run on three hits. Vargas was credited with the win and Munoz earned his 19th save of the season in 24 opportunities.
The lone damage against the bullpen came in the top of the eighth, and Perez was once responsible. He hit an RBI single off Brash, who saw his streak of 19 consecutive scoreless outings to begin the season snapped with the knock.
The Mariners lineup awarded the bullpen's efforts.
Randy Arozarena continued his hot streak with a solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the sixth that tied the game 1-1. It was his fourth home run in his last three games. He finished the night 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
3 GAMES IN A ROW FOR RANDY‼️ pic.twitter.com/6Bk7IC6bLL
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 3, 2025
The momentum provided by Arozarena carried into the seventh, where Seattle took the lead.
Ben Williamson hit a lead-off double to give the M's a runner in scoring position. Cole Young reached on a fielder's choice the next at-bat. Williamson made a slide back to first on the play to give the Mariners two on with no outs.
J.P. Crawford moved Williamson to third and Young to second on a sacrifice bunt, and Julio Rodriguez brought Williamson home and moved Young to third with a hard-hit single that ricocheted off the glove of Kansas City third baseman Maikel Garcia. Seattle took a 2-1 lead after Rodriguez's hit.
Arozarena had his second RBI of the day after Rodriguez's single with a sac fly that scored Young. The Mariners led 3-1 through seven.
"I think it's just a testament to everything we've been working on since spring training," Williamson said after the game. " ... Really just having that approach, like staying through the middle on the fastball to keep us on all the offspeed stuff. ... Felt really good to finally get one on the barrel."
Julio and Randy tack on 2️⃣ more! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/Jojvz9lJKQ
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 3, 2025
Perez's run-scoring single against Brash resulted in the eventual final of 3-2.
Seattle will look to clinch the series win against the Royals at 7:10 p.m. PT on Thursday. Logan Evans will start for the Mariners and Seth Lugo will take the mound for Kansas City.
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