Kirby Locks In, Raley Crushes, and Seattle Snaps the Skid at T-Mobile Park

The Mariners needed this one bad, and George Kirby delivered exactly what they needed on Saturday night. The right-hander threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball while Luke Raley went yard for his fifth home run of the season, and Seattle got past the Rangers 7-3 to snap a four-game losing streak at T-Mobile Park.

Kirby Does What He Does Best Against Texas

Kirby (3-2) walked into this one having absolutely owned the Rangers over his career, allowing just 10 earned runs across 68 2/3 innings. Saturday was no different. He scattered seven hits, struck out five, and walked two while keeping Texas off the scoreboard almost entirely. The guy was locked in, even after getting worked on by the training staff in the fourth following a single by Josh Jung that deflected off his hand. Jung did tag him for a solo shot in the sixth, but Kirby's stuff was sharp enough to keep the damage minimal.

Raley's Bat Does the Heavy Lifting

Raley's fifth-inning solo blast off Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi (2-3) traveled 381 feet and gave Seattle a 4-1 cushion. That one swing told the whole story: Raley already has more home runs in April than he hit all of last season (four). The guy is on a completely different level right now.

The Mariners' offense got rolling early, too. Seattle took a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Ezequiel Duran threw it away at second base on a slow roller by Raley with a runner on first. Dominic Canzone capitalized with a single that plated both runners. Cole Young added a two-run single in the eighth to extend the lead, and closer Andrés Muñoz came through with two outs and the tying run on the plate in the ninth for his second save of the season.

Health Watch and What's Next

The only sour note: Brendan Donovan sat out after exiting Friday's loss with a left hip issue. He's not expected to hit the injured list, which is good news. Brandon Nimmo picked up his 1,000th career major league hit with a single in the eighth, a nice moment in the middle of a tough stretch for the team.

The Mariners (9-13) face off against the Rangers again Sunday with Bryan Woo (0-2, 2.16) on the mound against lefty MacKenzie Gore (2-1, 3.00) for the series finale. After dropping four straight, you take the W and look to build on it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.