Arozarena’s dual home runs keep Mariners’ wild-card hopes alive
The Seattle Mariners’ 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday secured a crucial win in the American League wild-card race, driven by a historic performance from Randy Arozarena.
Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners has become the third player in Major League Baseball history to hit both a first-pitch home run and a walk-off home run in the same game. The 31-year-old outfielder achieved the feat on Saturday night, securing a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park.
In the bottom of the first inning, Arozarena connected with a sinker from David Peterson, launching a 416-foot leadoff home run to centre field. The blast gave Seattle an early 1-0 lead and marked his 18th home run of the season.
The game remained tight until the bottom of the ninth, when the Mariners trailed by two runs with two batters on base and two outs. Arozarena delivered a game-winning home run off a slider from Jacob Webb. The ball soared over the glove of Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was playing centre field for the Cubs, to seal the win for the hosts.
The performance was particularly notable given that Crow-Armstrong had achieved the same specific feat just days earlier. Arozarena also robbed a home run earlier in the game, finishing the contest 3 for 4 with a walk. According to CBS Sports, this makes Arozarena the seventh player since 1900 to hit a leadoff home run and a walk-off home run in a single game.
The victory improved the Mariners’ record to 62-68. While the season record is modest for a club that reached the ALCS last year, the win keeps Seattle in contention for the third and final wild-card spot in the American League. The Mariners currently sit three games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West.
Arozarena, a three-time All-Star, is now slashing .275/.369/.463 with an OPS+ of 139. He also leads the Mariners in Wins Above Replacement with a figure of 4.3.
