Mariners Sweep Royals to Take Lead in AL West
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners continued their hot streak with a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep and taking the lead in the American League West. Pitcher Luis Castillo was the star of the game, delivering seven shutout innings and securing his fourth consecutive win.
The Mariners’ offense was powered by home runs from Teoscar Hernandez and Julio Rodriguez, both of whom took rookie Alec Marsh deep. Seattle has now won 11 of their last 12 games and currently holds the best record in the major leagues since July 1, with an impressive 36-14 record over the past 50 games.
With this victory, the Mariners (74-56) move ahead of the Texas Rangers in the AL West standings. The Rangers suffered a tough 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins, giving Seattle the opportunity to leapfrog them. It is a remarkable turnaround for the Mariners, who trailed the Rangers by 7 1/2 games on August 15.
Not only did Castillo dominate on the mound, allowing only one hit while striking out six batters, but he also received exceptional support from his teammates. Mexican reliever Andrés Munoz closed out the game in the ninth inning, striking out all three batters he faced and earning his 10th save of the season.
This victory marks the first time since August 24, 2003, that the Mariners have held the top spot in their division. The team’s performance has been fueled by the solid contributions of several key players, including Dominicans Julio Rodríguez, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored, and Teoscar Hernández, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
On the other side, the Royals saw strong performances from Puerto Rican Nelson Velásquez, who went 3-for-1 with two RBIs and one run scored, and Venezuelan Maikel García, who went 4-for-1.
The Mariners will look to maintain their momentum as they continue their push for the playoffs. With their recent success, they have become a team to watch in the highly competitive AL West.