Julio Rodriguez squeezed the ninth-inning flyout, the last of a series sweep in Houston, and Gabe Speier could exhale.
Speier's typically all business, a straight-faced lefty with a sinker-slider combination. But he was all smiles Sunday afternoon, as manager Scott Servais interrupted his postgame interview with Seattle Sports: "Closer Gabe Speier!"
Speier, 28, has emerged as a go-to southpaw option in Seattle's bullpen, though until Sunday he had yet to pitch in such a high-leverage moment. Sunday's finale with the Astros hit a roadblock early, when rookie starter Emerson Hancock exited suddenly after two innings with a right shoulder strain.
It would be a "bullpen game," and in Servais' words, Speier and company were instantly "on red alert."
"There's some panic down there," Speier admitted. "But we believe in everybody in the bullpen. ... We knew it was going to be a grind, and that everyone was probably gonna pitch. I'm confident in everyone."
In a one-run game, Speier silenced the heart of Houston's order in the ninth. His payoff pitch to leadoff hitter and Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was a 97-mph heater, well-located on the outside corner for a swinging-strike three.
Rookie catcher Yainer Diaz then struck out on three pitches. Speier allowed tying-run Chas McCormick to reach on an infield single, but induced Jon Singleton to fly out to Rodriguez.
It was over, 7-6. And the Mariners, once ahead 6-0, held on for a sixth straight win and their first series sweep at Minute Maid Park since August 2018.
"Our guys love to compete, and we got after it today," Servais said. "That's the only way you're going to figure out a way to sweep a team like that this time of year."
Houston appeared poised for an early and rapid comeback. Shortstop Jeremy Pena led off the third inning with a single to center, and five Houston hitters reached (four hits) before Seattle reliever Tayler Saucedo could record an out.
The Astros piled five runs in the third inning, in total, making Sunday's finale far from over.
It took contributions from another six Seattle relievers — plus much-needed insurance in the form of a fifth-inning, RBI single by Dylan Moore — for the Mariners to survive.
Speier's scoreless ninth inning marked his first major-league save. Sunday also marked the first four-hit game in the young career of outfielder Dominic Canzone, acquired by the Mariners before the trade deadline in the Paul Sewald deal.
"We're leaning on each other," Servais said. "That's what this team is about."
The Mariners won Friday's opener in Houston behind a dynamite performance from rookie starter Bryce Miller, who delivered 6 1/3 shutout innings. Despite Seattle going 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position, Miller had every pitch working as Rodriguez and Mike Ford launched solo homers in a 2-0 win.
Seattle knocked around Astros All-Star Framber Valdez on Saturday, part of a convincing 10-3 victory in the middle game.
Seattle's six-game win streak keeps the Mariners (69-55) ahead of Toronto by 0.5 games for the third and final AL wild card allocation. It also brought them within striking distance of division foes — Seattle trails Houston by 0.5 games for the second wild card, and trails Texas (72-52) by three games for the AL West lead.
J-ROD'S HIT PARADE MAKES BASEBALL HISTORY
It had never happened before in MLB, at least since 1901.
It was flat-out ridiculous. And what Julio Rodriguez did, exactly, looked effortless.
Seattle's cornerstone outfielder — one of the sport's brightest faces, who continues to take baseball by storm — set MLB's all-time record with 17 hits in a four-game span. If Rodriguez's bat is "on fire," there's never been a blaze so large.
"I've been watching Major League Baseball for a long, long time. Julio's about ... He's going really good," Servais said, pausing briefly to choose his words carefully. "It's as good as I've seen a player. The power, the speed, driving the ball — it doesn't matter what pitch it is.
"When he gets on fire, he can really carry us."
Indeed Julio did. The record-setting streak began Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, when Rodriguez went 4-for-6 with a pair of RBI singles. The Mariners won, 6-5.
Thursday, Julio was again the unquestioned hero. He was a perfect 5-for-5 (5 RBI) and encapsulated Seattle's third-straight win with the ultimate exclamation — a game-winning, three-run homer in the eighth that escaped Kauffman Stadium in a flash.
That homer — his 20th — set another record. Rodriguez became just the second player in MLB history to swat 20 homers and steal 20 bases in each of his first two seasons. He joined Royals shortstop (and that day's opponent) Bobby Witt Jr., who could only watch as J-Rod coasted home.
It's becoming reminiscent of Julio's rookie season in 2022, when his second-half surge helped the Mariners snap a two-decades-long playoff drought. He's on pace for more magic.
"I'm just grateful I'm able to do that for the team, especially at (a) time that we need it," Rodriguez said Friday. "We need to win games."
New city on Friday, same Julio — the 22-year-old's bat kept ablaze in Houston.
He and Mike Ford smashed solo home runs, enough to back Miller's shutout performance. Julio was 4-for-5 and swiped two bases, up to a team-high 32.
"I don't think I did that in Little League," joked Bryce Miller. "He's fun to watch. I'm glad he's on our team."
Rodriguez managed a pair of singles off Astros All-Star Framber Valdez on Saturday, part of a 4-for-6 performance that ensured history. No player in modern history had 17 hits in a four-game span, until Julio.
"17 hits in four games," Servais said. Then a laugh. "I've never seen anything like it.
"Nobody in the history of Major League Baseball has ever seen anything like it. What can you say?"
More eye-popping numbers from Rodriguez's incredible four-game stretch: He batted .773 (17-for-22) with eight RBI, five stolen bases, and a 1.909 OPS.
"We don't give up," Rodriguez said. "It doesn't matter what people think. ... We just don't give up. We show up every day. We keep doing our thing, we stay committed to ourselves, and it's showing."
CRAWFORD TO REJOIN CLUB IN CHICAGO
J.P. Crawford completed a one-game rehab assignment with High-A Everett, and the Mariners are hopeful the shortstop can return for Monday's series opener with the White Sox in Chicago.
Crawford last appeared with Seattle on Aug. 9 when he collided with third baseman Eugenio Suarez in an attempt to field a fourth-inning ground ball. Crawford landed on the 7-day concussion list on Aug. 11.
In Saturday's rehab assignment at Funko Field, Crawford went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. But Servais told reporters "he came out of it feeling good" and that Crawford would join the club Monday, regardless of whether he appears.
"Everything was thumbs up," Servais said. "He's feeling good."
Crawford's readdition supplies the Mariners with additional firepower atop its lineup, and at a crucial time amid the regular season's final stretch. The 28-year-old looks to continue a career season at the plate, flashing personal-bests in walk rate (96th percentile) and expected batting average (69th percentile), per Baseball Savant.
SHORT HOPS — Cal Raleigh's blistering, 110-mph homer Wednesday in Kansas City — the 50th home run of his career — made Seattle's backstop the second-fastest player in Mariners history to reach that mark (271 games), behind only Alex Rodriguez (269). — The Mariners are 12-2 over their last 14 day games (since July 1).
ON DECK
Seattle's three-city road trip ends in Chicago for three games with the White Sox (Monday-Wednesday). Luis Castillo takes the mound in Monday's opener, set for a 5:10 p.m. first pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Seattle gets Thursday off and kicks off a six-game homestand with the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
