Rodríguez, Miller star as the Mariners beat the White Sox 5-1 despite a dominant performance by Lynn

Updated Jun. 18, 2023 7:52 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run double, rookie Bryce Miller pitched seven crisp innings and the Seattle Mariners overcame a dominant performance by Lance Lynn, beating the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Sunday.

Lynn matched a franchise record with 16 strikeouts in seven-plus innings, but Miller was terrific and Seattle got clutch hits from Rodríguez and Jarred Kelenic in the victory.

Rodríguez’s third-inning double put the Mariners up 2-0. The 22-year-old Rodríguez, the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year, got his 15th steal of the season in the sixth, joining Fernando Tatis Jr. as the only players in major league history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in their first 200 games.

“Julio is a fantastic player and he’s just scratching the surface,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “He’s got a chance to be just a dynamic superstar in our game. And you know, when you’re in games like today, when we’re coming off a tough loss last night, you kind of need your best players to step up and get a big hit. He got one and Jarred got one. It was good for those young guys.”

Lynn (4-7) departed after Kolten Wong opened the eighth with a bunt single. After two-out walks by Ty France and Teoscar Hernández loaded the bases, Kelenic made it 5-1 with a triple off Reynaldo López.

Servais said Lynn “just dominated us,” and White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said: “He was at 113 pitches and he wanted to go back out. ... Thirty-three swings and misses, the most this season in baseball.”

Miller (5-3) allowed one run and four hits in his second straight win. He struck out six and walked none, edging deeper into his repertoire of breaking balls than he had in his previous eight starts.

“It’s interesting how it works out because I honestly, like most of the time, it’s just throwing as hard as I can, and then I just kind of hope it works," he said.

Justin Topa got three outs before Ty Adcock worked the ninth. Adcock retired Andrew Vaughn on a fly ball to left with runners on the corners for the final out.

After falling behind in the third, Lynn struck out the side in the fourth on 14 pitches – getting cleanup hitter Hernández on three pitches and Kelenic on four.

Andrew Benintendi hit an RBI single in the sixth for Chicago, which lost for the sixth time in eight games. Lynn allowed four hits and walked two.

"It’s Lance Lynn, you know, he’s definitely been in the league for I don’t know how many years, so the guy knows how to pitch,” Kelenic said. “He’s a stud. He had his A game today and we battled.”

SOX ACE

Lynn's 16 strikeouts were the most for the White Sox since Jack Harshman struck out 16 on July 25, 1954, against Boston.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was sidelined by shoulder soreness. He is day to day.

UP NEXT

White Sox: Grifol said Monday’s starter against the Rangers would be determined on the 2 1/2-hour flight to Texas. He didn’t rule out calling up a pitcher to replace RHP Mike Clevinger (biceps) or a bullpen day, but needed to assess the team following the series finale.

Mariners: RHP George Kirby (6-5, 3.24 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday at the New York Yankees. He struck out a career-high 10 in his last outing and leads the majors with an 11.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

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