Julio Rodríguez homers, J.P. Crawford drives in three and Mariners beat Orioles 7-3 to avoid sweep

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez homered for the first time since June 15 and doubled, J.P. Crawford lined a tiebreaking three-run double, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-3 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.

“It definitely felt great. Sometimes you got to go through tough stretches to wake up," Rodríguez said.

Seattle’s slumping offense broke out in a big way and it was the Mariners' best player leading the charge. Mired in a slump at the plate, Rodríguez hit an 0-2 pitch from Baltimore ace Corbin Burnes an estimated 428 feet to center field in the fifth inning for his eighth homer to pull Seattle to 2-1.

Two innings later, Rodríguez keyed Seattle’s five-run seventh inning with a line drive double off Baltimore reliever Bryan Baker. The Mariners eventually loaded the bases against Baker (1-1) and with two outs and Crawford cleared them after Keegan Akin fell behind in the count.

Crawford is hitting .636 with 37 RBIs with the bases loaded over the past two seasons.

“In my opinion, what J.P. does is he puts the pressure on the guy on the mound, he doesn't put that on himself. And you can see that," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He has a great idea of the strike zone so he's not going to chase in those situations too often and when he lets the game come to him that's when it really works for him.”

Mitch Garver capped Seattle’s offensive burst with a two-run homer, his 11th of the season.

“Really poorly pitched seventh there,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said.

Rodríguez’s slump coincided with Seattle’s slide that has seen the Mariners' 10-game lead in the AL west dwindle to just two. In the previous 14 games, Rodríguez had zero RBIs and zero extra-base hits.

Rodríguez appeared to jam his right thumb making a catch in center field in the sixth inning while fighting the sun but remained in the game.

“After I moved it around a little bit, it went away,” Rodríguez said.

Seattle starter Bryce Miller managed to keep Baltimore’s offense in check, apart from All-Star Gunnar Henderson. Henderson doubled to open the game – although he was thrown out trying to advance to third – and hit a two-run shot for his 27th homer of the season.

Miller worked into the sixth, allowing only two runs and struck out six. Mariners relievers Austin Voth, Ryne Stanek (6-2), Trent Thornton and Andrés Muñoz made only one mistake when Jordan Westburg hit his 14th home run in the eighth.

Burnes made his first start since returning from the paternity list following additions to his family after his wife gave birth to twin girls. Burnes gave up Crawford’s single to begin the bottom of the first, then retired 12 straight before Rodríguez’s home run.

Burnes finished his outing with a dominant sixth inning, and allowed four hits and struck out six.

“Threw a few more pitches than wanted to but for the most part was pretty pleased with it,” Burnes said. “Didn't spin the ball as well as I wanted to but that could be attributed to the layoff.”

ROSTER MOVE

Seattle claimed OF Duke Ellis off waivers from the New York Mets and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. Ellis has 34 stolen bases in 43 minor league games this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Bryan Woo (hamstring) is expected to make a rehab start at Single-A Everett sometime this weekend. He could be joined by RHP Gregory Santos as he moves closer to rejoining the Mariners.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Albert Suarez (4-2, 2.43) will take the mound to open a three-game series in Oakland against the A’s.

Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (6-9, 3.87) will start the opener of a three-game series against Toronto on Friday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford's hair flies after stealing second base against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes throws against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander makes a diving catch on a fly ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners left fielder Luke Raley, left, checks on center fielder Julio Rodríguez, right, holds his wrist after falling while catching a fly ball hit by Baltimore Orioles' Jordan Westburg during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais (9) arrives on the mound to pull starting pitcher Bryce Miller, center, against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez holds a trident in the dugout after his solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez holds a trident in the dugout after his solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Christian Walker’s two-run single with no outs highlighted Arizona's three-run 10th and the Diamondbacks won 7-5 Saturday night against the San Diego Padres, who scored once in bottom of the inning and then left the bases loaded.

With Corbin Carroll as the automatic runner, the Diamondbacks loaded the bases against Wandy Peralta (2-2) on Geraldo Perdomo’s bunt single down the third base line and pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk’s walk. With the infield playing in, Walker then singled past diving shortstop Ha-Seong Kim into center field. Jake McCarthy’s grounder brought in Grichuk to make it 7-4.

“Wandy’s changeup is gross,” Walker said. “I wasn't looking for it but he throws a lot of them and in that situation, I was just trying to get a ground ball there. I saw the location; it ended up being off the plate a little bit. Luckily it found the middle a bit. The infield playing in helped for sure. That was lucky, for sure.”

The teams combined for nine runs in the ninth inning Friday night, when the Padres walked it off 10-8.

Walker said Saturday night’s game was “Fun, stressful. You try to embrace it and enjoy it.

“I don’t know what it is, but sometimes, it’s like year to year, it feels like you just play gnarly games against certain teams and San Diego seems to be the team this year,” Walker said.

The Padres loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning against Thyago Vieria and Donovan Solano hit an RBI double to bring in automatic runner Jake Cronenworth. Rookie Jackson Merrill walked and Bryce Johnson struck out.

Humberto Castellanos came on and earned his first save by striking out Ha-Seong Kim and getting Kyle Higashioka to fly out to left to end it.

Kim had tied the score at 4 with an RBI double in the eighth.

Ryan Thompson (4-3) got the win.

Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt was knocked out of the game with a bruised left ankle after getting hit by Luis Arraez's comebacker with one out in the fifth. The ball caromed all the way into foul territory on the third base side, allowing Kim, aboard on a leadoff double, to advance to third.

Pfaadt was checked by a trainer and manager Torey Lovullo and came out. Lovullo made the decision to take him out.

“It feels good,” Pfaadt said. “X-rays came back negative and I think we've just got to deal with swelling from here on out. There shouldn't be any missed time as long as the swelling goes down a little bit.”

Kevin Ginkel came on and struck out All-Star Jurickson Profar and Jake Cronenworth.

“I think we dug pretty deep into our reserve and I think our character showed up today,” Lovullo said. “We had some moments that didn't go our way. The Padres are a hot team right but we had guys step up and get the job done.”

After the Diamondbacks took a 4-1 lead in the seventh, the Padres pulled within a run with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Profar hit an RBI double and Cronenworth laid down a safety squeeze bunt along the third base line.

With runners on the corners, Manny Machado struck out. Machado, who turned 32 on Saturday, hit a two-run, walk-off homer Friday night.

Pfaadt allowed one run and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings while striking out six and walking none.

Three of the first four Padres batters in the first hit singles, including an RBI hit by Machado.

The Diamondbacks tied it in the second on a two-out RBI single by Kevin Newman, who grew up in suburban Poway. That brought in Walker, who reached on a single to deep shortstop and advanced on Eugenio Suárez's walk.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. then gave the Diamondbacks the lead when he homered off the facade of the upper deck in left field leading off the fourth off knuckleballer Matt Waldron. It was his 13th.

The Diamondbacks made it 4-1 in the seventh on Jose Herrera's RBI double and Geraldo Perdomo's RBI triple.

Waldron allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: All-Star 2B Ketel Marte was held out of the starting lineup after leaving in the eighth inning Friday night with lower back stiffness.

Padres: Placed RHP Yu Darvish on the restricted list to deal with a personal matter. Darvish is currently on the injured list for the second time this season.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (5-6, 5.42 ERA) and Padres RHP Dylan Cease (7-7, 4.24) are scheduled to start Sunday's series finale.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

San Diego Padres's Fernando Tatis Jr. laughs as he sits in the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Luis Arraez waves to a fan during a pitching change in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, center, exits after an injury during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, center, leans over as a trainer looks at his leg after an injury during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)