DeGrom retires first 15 batters, Rodríguez hits 3-run homer off bullpen as Mariners beat Texas 4-3

SEATTLE (AP) — Jacob deGrom retired his first 15 batters and struck out 12 for his highest total since 2022 but Julio Rodríguez hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Jakob Junis in a four-run seventh that lifted the Seattle Mariners over the Texas Rangers 4-3 Thursday.

DeGrom didn’t allow a hit until Cole Young singled on a line drive off the pitcher’s raised glove leading off the sixth. The two-time Cy Young Award winner struck out eight of his first nine batters for the fifth time and finished with his highest strikeout total since Sept. 19, 2022, for the New York Mets against Pittsburgh.

He left leading 3-0 after six innings due to groin tightness, manager Skip Schumaker said. But Junis (1-3) hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch leading off the seventh, then allowed Dominic Canzone’s RBI single and Cal Raleigh’s single. Rodríguez hit a first-pitch sinker for his 21st home run this season.

DeGrom gave up one hit in six scoreless innings with one walk.

Texas dropped three games behind AL West-leading Houston and two games back for the last AL wild card. Seattle trails by five games for the last wild card.

Logan Gilbert (12-9), who like deGrom attended Stetson, struck out 11 in seven innings and became Seattle’s first pitcher with consecutive double-digit strikeout games since James Paxton in 2018. The combined strikeouts were the most by starting pitchers in the major leagues this season.

Gilbert also made a sliding tag of Wyatt Langford off a throw from Raleigh after a pitch bounced away from the catcher in the seventh.

Andrés Muñoz walked a pair of batters with two outs in the ninth, then got Jake Burger to ground into a forceout for his 27th save in 36 chances. Young picked up the grounder behind second and just beat Evan Carter to the base, a call upheld in a video review.

Rangers: Start a three-game series Friday at Arizona, which starts RHP Merrill Kelly (9-13, 5.06).

Mariners: RHP George Kirby (9-11, 4.18) starts Friday at the Athletics, who open with LHP Jeffrey Springs (4-13, 6.02).

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here