Yariel Rodríguez pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to earn his first win. Alejandro Kirk contributed with three hits and two RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays secured a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
Rodríguez (1-3) delivered one of his best outings in the majors, building on a strong performance against Houston in his previous start. He emphasized the significance of achieving his first win and expressed gratitude for the support from his teammates and the organization.
“It means a lot to me. We make a lot of sacrifices to reach the big leagues,” Rodríguez said through an interpreter. “Getting that first win feels incredible. I’m thankful to the organization and especially to my teammates for their great defense behind me today.”
The Mariners faced a setback when Julio Rodríguez left the game after the first inning due to discomfort in his right quadriceps, according to manager Scott Servais. Rodríguez had felt discomfort during warm-ups and was cautious in the outfield before the decision was made to remove him from the game.
Servais mentioned that Rodríguez would undergo an MRI to assess the extent of the injury.
“I hope it’s nothing too serious,” Servais added.
Seattle attempted a late comeback, narrowing the gap to 5-3 with Mitch Haniger’s three-run homer off Trevor Richards in the eighth inning. Luke Raley added a solo home run off Chad Green in the ninth inning, but Green recovered to strike out Mitch Garver and Dominic Canzone for his fourth save.
Yariel Rodríguez didn’t allow a hit until Luke Raley’s single in the fifth inning. Although Rodríguez had some control issues with two walks and several three-ball counts, he managed six strikeouts and prevented Seattle from mounting a significant rally.
