Julio Rodriguez belted an eighth-inning grand slam and Luis Castillo pitched seven shutout innings to lift the visiting Seattle Mariners to a 5-1 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Monday.
American League West-leading Seattle stretched its winning streak to four games.
Chicago brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Andrew Vaughn delivered a two-out RBI single against Troy Taylor. Seattle summoned closer Andres Munoz, who struck out Michael A. Taylor to end the game and earn his 15th save.
Chicago has lost five straight, the club’s fourth losing streak this season of at least four games.
Frustrated by White Sox starter Davis Martin for much of the night, the Mariners broke the game open against reliever Cam Booser in the eighth. Entering the game after Martin yielded a one-out single, Booser allowed the first two Mariners he faced to reach base before Rodriguez sent a grand slam into the left field bleachers.
Castillo (4-3) finished his outing by retiring 14 consecutive White Sox after Chase Meidroth grounded a one-out single in the third inning. Collin Snider stretched the streak to 17 outs in a row before Troy Taylor walked the first two batters in the ninth.
Joshua Palacios had the lone extra-base hit for the White Sox, lining a leadoff double in the second inning. Chicago stranded him, however, as Castillo escaped trouble with a groundout, a strikeout and a lineout.
Castillo continued to work effectively after that. He spaced three hits and five strikeouts while throwing 64 of his 94 pitches for strikes. He did not issue a walk.
Martin (2-5) pitched a career-best 7 1/3 innings. He scattered two runs and four hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Martin retired the first eight Mariners he faced and compiled three innings in which he threw fewer than 10 pitches.
Seattle scored the game’s first run in the third inning behind a two-out rally. Jorge Polanco followed singles from Ben Williamson and J.P. Crawford by grounding an RBI single to right field.
Neither starting pitcher allowed much wiggle room before or after.
Williamson had three hits from the nine hole for Seattle. The Mariners went 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position compared to 2-for-9 for the White Sox.
–Field Level Media
