The Seattle Mariners took advantage of the elements during a hot and windy weekend at Wrigley Field, mashing 10 home runs during the three-game series.
They kept that power surge going in less favorable hitting conditions in Minneapolis on Monday with a pair of mammoth home runs during the third inning to jump out to a big lead early against the Twins.
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Julio RodrÃguez was the first to do damage via the home run. With the Mariners leading 1-0 after sac fly from J.P. Crawford, RodrÃguez jumped all over a 1-2 changeup just below the strike zone from Minnesota starter Bailey Ober for a 442-foot, two-run blast off the facade the upper deck in left-center field.
The home run was RodrÃguez’s 11th of the season and ended a nearly month-long stretch without a big fly for RodrÃguez, who had gone 107 plate appearances since his last home run during the first inning of a 9-1 win over the Washington Nationals on May 27.
After RodrÃguez’s blast, singles by Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena then set up Luke Raley for his first home run since returning from the injured list over the weekend.
Raley did his damage on a fastball in the lower part of the zone, redirecting it 436 feet to center field for a three-run home run and a 6-0 Mariners lead.
It was Raley’s third home run this season and first since April 17. The left-handed hitting slugger missed nearly two months after being sidelined by an oblique strain suffered in late April.
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