Montes’ debut homer powers Mariners to 9-6 win over Red Sox

Lazaro Montes made an immediate impact in his Major League Baseball debut, recording a home run and an RBI as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Boston Red Sox 9-6 at Fenway Park on Tuesday. The victory was significant for the Mariners, who snapped a five-game losing streak to improve their season record to 65-74.

Montes, who was called up to the major leagues on Tuesday as rosters expanded for the final stretch of the season, started the game as the designated hitter. He opened his career with a hit and an RBI before hitting a deep home run to straightaway centre in the fifth inning. The blast extended the Mariners’ lead to 9-1, prompting a celebration from his wife, Monica, and their young son in the stands.

According to MLB.com, Montes is the first Mariners player to record multiple hits in his MLB debut since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. He is also one of only six players in franchise history to hit a home run in his debut.

The Mariners established an early advantage in the second inning, taking a 6-1 lead thanks to a solo home run from Dominic Canzone and a three-run homer from Randy Arozarena. Although the Red Sox mounted a late rally, including a pair of runs in the ninth inning following a home run from Jahmai Jones, the comeback attempt arrived too late to alter the outcome.

Montes, ranked as the team’s No. 5 prospect, had previously recorded 38 home runs and 96 RBIs combined between his Triple-A and Double-A affiliates. Speaking before the game, he told MLB.com, “I can't describe how I feel in this moment right now, but I feel like I made it.”

The Mariners currently sit third in the AL West, six games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the final American League wild card spot.