PHOENIX — Eugenio Suarez hit a go-ahead grand slam and Eduardo Rodriguez threw a quality start for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday at Chase Field.
The Diamondbacks swept the Mariners, outscoring their interleague foes, 23-9. Each of Arizona’s last three series have resulted in sweeps, as it took all three in Atlanta, folded in Cincinnati and crushed Seattle.
With the win, the D-backs returned to a .500 mark at 34-34.
Mariners starter Bryan Woo shut out the Diamondbacks through five innings with only three hits and no walks allowed. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte started to break that wall with back-to-back singles in the sixth, and Josh Naylor checked off a 3-2 borderline slider to load the bases.
Suarez received a 1-0 slider that hung over the middle, and he did not miss. The blast to left field — Suarez’s league-leading third grand slam — gave Arizona a 4-2 lead.
The Diamondbacks now have 8 grand slams this season, tied for the most by a team before July, with:
2023 Dodgers
2018 Reds https://t.co/MwcNcAx1uM
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 11, 2025
Suarez tied Carroll (again) for the team lead in home runs with 19, fifth in MLB behind Cal Raleigh (26), Aaron Judge (24), Shohei Ohtani (23) and Kyle Schwarber (21). He finished the game 3-for-4, increasing his OPS to .819, second among NL third basemen.
More notes on Suarez’s latest slam:
– Suarez passed Magglio Ordoñez for third on the all-time home runs list for Venezuelan-born players with 295. He trails Miguel Cabrera (511) and Andrés Galarraga (399).
– Paul Goldschmidt is the only other Diamondbacks player with three grand slams in a single season, per the club. Don Mattingly and Travis Hafner hold the record for most grand slams in a season with six.
– Suarez has homered against a team that traded him away in back-to-back series, hitting two in Cincinnati over the weekend.
Back to the game, Pavin Smith ended a home run drought dating back to April 22 with a solo shot two batters after Suarez, giving Arizona a 5-2 advantage.
“It was five runs in the matter of (seven) batters,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “It was really impressive. That’s what we’re able to do offensively. … It’s tough to sweep series, tough to close out a team like that.”
Eduardo Rodriguez solid vs. Mariners
Rodriguez delivered 6.1 innings with two earned runs, as he has produced solid results in two starts off the injured list (11.1 IP, 4 ER).
Not everything went well around him, either. He should have been out of the first inning unscathed, but Marte didn’t get a return throw to first off on a would-be double play, as he fumbled the grip.
Jorge Polanco poked a flare RBI single to give Seattle an early 1-0 lead. Rodriguez then retired nine of the next 10 hitters, the only knock being an infield single by Raleigh — who was caught stealing by Jose Herrera, anyway.
Donovan Solano hit a solo shot in the fifth, but Rodriguez did his job by not letting the Mariners build innings.
He allowed six hits with only one walk, striking out five batters. His exit velocity against was a weak 85.7 mph. That’s the version of Rodriguez the Diamondbacks need, drawing weak early contact and working efficiently.
The southpaw threw only 81 pitches as he builds back up from a shoulder issue, giving the D-backs some length despite the strict pitch count.
“ I would say location,” Rodriguez said has been the difference these past two starts. “I’m able to throw the ball most of the time where I wanted. That’s the main reason I can go up there and do my job.
“ I feel like I’m a 100% now,” Rodriguez added. “You guys saw the last two games, I’m able to locate my pitches and compete out there.”
Juan Morillo finished the seventh, Jalen Beeks threw a scoreless eighth and Shelby Miller recorded his seventh save in the ninth.
Eugenio Suarez climbs up Venezuelan home runs list
Passing Ordoñez was a special moment for Suarez.
Ordoñez (played from 1997-2011) was one of his favorite players, and joining a shortlist of his countrymen given the star power Venezuela has produced at the major league level was not taken lightly.
“It is a lot, it’s too much for me because so many good players, so many superstars come from Venezuela,” Suarez said. “Putting my name on the list and passing Magglio, one of my favorite players, it is an honor. It’s a gift. I always say I feel blessed. … This homer was special because I feel like my family and a lot of fans from Venezuela were waiting for that. Right now, I feel so happy and grateful.”
“ We are from the same country, and I know what that means for him,” Rodriguez, who also played with Cabrera, said. “I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to play with guys like that.”
Eugenio Suárez moved into third place on the all-time home runs list for Venezuelan-born players, passing Magglio Ordóñez, one of his favorites.
His reaction: pic.twitter.com/XYFbeIEFZq
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) June 11, 2025
There have been 493 Venezuelan-born major leaguers, 66 of which have been All-Stars. Luis Aparicio is in the Hall of Fame, with Cabrera set to follow him when eligible.
“I’ve played against or with a couple he just passed, I’ve coached against one main one that’s sitting right in front of him,” Lovullo said. “It’s just an impressive feat and he’s just such a great teammate and he’s so engaged, and it was clearly the big hit of the game that got us playing downhill baseball.”
Diamondbacks’ next game
The Diamondbacks get Thursday off before starting their first series against the San Diego Padres this season.
The opener at Chase Field is Friday night at 6:40 p.m. on Apple TV+.
Ryne Nelson will start for Arizona, while right-hander Stephen Kolek is probable for San Diego.
Catch the game on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
