Julio Rodríguez homers twice for wild card-chasing Seattle and Kirby beats Rangers again in 8-2 win

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Julio Rodríguez homered twice to drive in five runs, George Kirby went six innings for his 13th victory and the AL wild card-chasing Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 on Friday night.

Rodríguez put the Mariners (79-75) ahead to stay with his three-run homer in the fifth off Jack Leiter, who relieved Jacob deGrom after the two-time Cy Young Award winner made his first home start in nearly 17 months after elbow surgery.

Seattle remained two games behind Minnesota for the third and final wild card after the Twins beat Boston 4-2 in 12 innings. The Mariners stayed five back of Houston in the AL West with eight games remaining, three in Houston.

“We’re still in it. Everyone’s confident. Just got to to keep playing good baseball," Kirby said.

“It feels great. Obviously we have a shot to get into the playoffs,” Rodríguez said. “But I feel like everybody knows that and understands that at the same time we've got to take it one day at a time. ... We've got to focus on that right now.”

Rodríguez tied a career high for RBIs with his first multihomer game this season. His first homer put Seattle up 4-2, and he went deep off the rookie right-hander again in the seventh with a two-run shot the opposite way to right field for his 18th of the year.

Kirby (13-11) beat the reigning World Series champions again, five days after facing the minimum 21 batters over seven scoreless innings at home against them. The 26-year-old right-hander is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA in nine career starts against Texas. He struck out four without a walk this time while allowing two runs on five hits.

“George jumped picked up right where he left off against Texas back at home,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said.

Nathaniel Lowe had a two-run single for the Rangers (73-81), who have already been eliminated from the AL West race and are on the verge of being officially knocked out of wild-card contention and guaranteed a losing record.

Lowe's hit ended Kirby's streak of 34 consecutive scoreless innings against Texas in a span of seven starts since Sept. 28, 2022.

DeGrom struck out five over three innings, and the only run he allowed was when No. 9 batter Josh Rojas led off the third with a homer. Rojas later added a sacrifice fly.

Leiter (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) over five innings. He struck out five and walked two while throwing 57 of 92 pitches for strikes.

A week after throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut on the road, also against the Mariners, deGrom threw 37 of 58 pitches for strikes and had one walk. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy had said the 36-year-old right-hander would throw about 60 pitches.

“Definitely felt better than my first one. I think maybe a little bit less nerves, worked on some things in between,” said deGrom, who will get one more start this season. "It’s little things that I've got to continue to work on, but my arm felt good and that was the most important thing.”

It was the first start at home for deGrom since he left in the middle of the fourth inning against the New York Yankees on April 28, 2023. That was the sixth and last start in the first season of his $185 million, five-year contract.

UP NEXT

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (2-4, 3.95 ERA) makes his second start since coming off the IL after missing 40 games with right shoulder fatigue and an arm nerve issue. Rookie right-hander Emerson Hancock (3-4, 4.83) starts for Seattle.

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Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe (30) hits a two-run single in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez celebrates in the dugout after a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners Josh Rojas (4) celebrates in the dugout after a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) and catcher Jonah Heim (28) walk back to the dugout in the first inning in a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez (44) hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez reacts toward the dugout as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

NEW YORK (AP) — After the Philadelphia Phillies clinched a third consecutive playoff appearance Friday night, they shook hands on the field and walked back to the dugout as though it were any other regular-season victory.

Moments later, manager Rob Thomson gathered his players in the clubhouse and thanked them during a tempered champagne toast acknowledging their significant achievement.

But no wild party, with grown men spraying booze and guzzling beer and soaking each other in glee.

Not just yet, anyway.

“Pretty calm and relaxed from what it usually turns into,” All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm said with a chuckle.

Qualifying for the postseason is a long way from winning the World Series. Nobody knows that better than the Phillies these days — and they have much bigger goals than simply taking part.

“You look around and you see all the talent, you see all the guys, you see the front office, the moves they make and things like that, you look at it on paper at the beginning of the year, and this team should be in the playoffs,” Bohm said. “So it's good that we've stayed healthy throughout the year and done all the things we need to do to get to this point. Now it's just a matter of, keep going.”

Bryce Harper and the Phillies punched their latest playoff ticket — this one long expected — with a 12-2 blowout of the New York Mets.

Assured at least a National League wild card, Philadelphia can secure its first NL East title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the second-place Mets at Citi Field.

With the division crown so close, the Phillies kept it mellow Friday night — hoping to let loose soon with a boozy clubhouse bash after locking up first place.

“It'll be a little more rowdy, for sure,” said Bohm, who homered and finished with four hits and four RBIs.

Seeking their third World Series championship, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven't trailed since.

Philadelphia (92-62) has the best record in the major leagues and is on track for a first-round bye in the playoffs. It's the third time the Phillies have reached the postseason three years in a row (1976-78 and 2007-11).

“Not everybody gets the chance to play for the World Series every year, so as much as maybe people in this room feel like this is where we should be, it’s still an accomplishment,” Bohm said.

Harper, Bohm, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos have powered the offense, while Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez have anchored the pitching staff on a team largely unchanged from 2023.

Philadelphia won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11, then went 10 years without making the playoffs. A wild-card entry each of the past two postseasons, the Phillies put together consecutive October runs that ended in heartbreak.

They reached the 2022 World Series, losing to Houston in six games, and dropped a seven-game NL Championship Series to Arizona last year after leading the underdog Diamondbacks 2-0 and 3-2.

So this time, the Phillies are looking to go all the way and finally finish the job.

Philadelphia's only World Series championships came in 1980 and 2008.

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

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos hits an RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm reacts after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm hits a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm is congratulated by Trea Turner, left, after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)