Mariners: Rodriguez secures series sweep with winning home run

The aura surrounding Julio Rodriguez continues to grow, as his homer gives the Mariners a 4-2 win over the Rangers in the series finale at T-Mobile Park.

The mood was understandably low following the three-game sweep at the hands of the Astros. Now, the vibe could not be more different following the Mariners’ own sweep of the Rangers, with Julio Rodriguez having a lot to do with this.

A day after announcing his return to the lineup with a lead-off home run, Rodriguez was at it again. This time it was in even more spectacular fashion, as his three-RBI homer in the bottom of the seventh proved the difference in a 4-2 win on Wednesday afternoon.

Along with the rest of the Mariners batters, Rodriguez had struggled most of the day against Rangers’ pitcher Jon Gray. However, as he has already done a number of times this season, the potential superstar rose to the occasion when needed most.

It marked the 18th home run of what has become an increasingly special season for the 21-year-old. And it came after he decided to swap bats ahead of his fourth appearance at the plate.

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As if to encapsulate the easy charm which surrounds Rodriguez, he joked that he swapped bats because it was a day game and his usual one was still sleeping. It’s no joke for opposing ball clubs though, as he continues to thrive in pressure situations.

Rodriguez was asked by the media how he is able to respond so well at critical times in the game. He said:

“I just focus on what matters the most and just me and the pitcher; what he’s about to throw and what I’m about to hit … I try not to think too much in those situations right there. I go with the flow, keep it as simple as I can and not make the situation bigger than it is.”

Mariners pitcher Marco Gonzales probably summed up the mood of his teammates, when asked about Rodriguez. He said:

“I think he’s the best player I’ve ever seen. He’s for sure the best player I’ve ever played with … and he’s absolute blast to play with. He’s having so much fun. He brings a spark to our clubhouse and I love watching him play.”

In fairness to Gonzales, he had an excellent game himself, allowing just four hits and two earned runs in 7.0 innings. It also represented a recovery from his previous performance versus Houston, when he allowed nine hits and five earned runs in 5.2 innings.

Gonzales was asked about what was different, to help him perform better than he did against the Astros. He said:

“Good pitchers find a way to bounce back, stop the bleeding and find a way to get back on track. I feel like coming out of the (All-Star) break, I was a little stagnant and stiff. I felt like I was moving a little better today, so hopefully a little bit better rhythm will help me to get it back together these next couple of starts.”

As more often than not, the Mariners got strong support from their bullpen, allowing just a couple of hits and no runs in two combined innings. They continued to rate among the best in the Majors, leading the way in WHIP and ranking third in batting average following Wednesday’s action. (They are also seventh in ERA.)

Manager Scott Servais spoke about the vibe surrounding the Mariners, both in and out of the clubhouse. He said:

“It’s just consistent effort day in and day out, doing the little things over and over again. And then look up and I think we’re going to be in a good spot. The fact people around town want to get excited about that and talk about that … it’s what baseball is about and it’s our time. I really believe it.”

This belief will be tested to the max, during the upcoming four-game series with the Astros. Logan Gilbert will take to the mound first on Thursday night in Houston, while the home side will counter with Jose Urquidy.

What are you predicting for the Mariners in their series versus the Astros? How much impact do you expect Rodriguez to have on the outcome of the four games in Houston? Let us know in the comments section below.