Chris Flexen pitched seven strong innings and the Seattle Mariners got big hits from their top youngsters in a 4-1 victory against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Julio Rodriguez hit a bases-loaded double to break a scoreless tie in the fourth inning, and Jarred Kelenic followed with a two-run triple to provide all the offense Flexen would need.

The only run off Flexen (1-2) was a solo homer down the left field line by Salvador Perez with two outs in the sixth inning. It was Perez’s fifth homer of the season, tying Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the American League lead.

Flexen, who hadn’t received any run support in his first two starts of the season, both 4-0 losses, gave up six hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out five.

Other than Perez’s homer, the closest the Royals came to scoring against Flexen was in the fifth. With one out, Bobby Witt Jr. grounded a single into right field and Adalberto Mondesi reached on a bunt single down the third base line. Flexen then struck out Michael A. Taylor and got Nicky Lopez to hit a weak grounder to second to end the inning.

Seattle’s Anthony Misiewicz pitched a scoreless eighth, and Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his first save of the season and the second of his career, the other coming with the San Diego Padres in 2019.

With one out in the Seattle fourth, Eugenio Suarez lined a single to left field and J.P. Crawford did the same to center. Abraham Toro hit a soft comebacker to the mound that went off the glove of pitcher Brad Keller for an error, loading the bases.

Facing a 3-2 count, Rodriguez lined a double to center to score Suarez and Crawford. Kelenic hit the next pitch just out of the reach of Taylor in right-center to make it 4-0.

Keller (0-2) went 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits. The right-hander walked two and struck out four.

Mariners interim manager Kristopher Negron improved to 2-1 in place of Scott Servais, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media