MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Soler and Miguel Rojas homered and the Miami Marlins won their sixth straight game, beating the Seattle Mariners 8-6 Friday night.
Soler's homer in the first inning bounced off a column behind the left-center field pavilion and was measured at 468 feet, the third-longest in the major leagues this season.
Jesús Sánchez’s two-run single with the bases loaded against Mariners starter Matt Brash capped a four-run second inning. Jesús Aguilar and Jacob Stallings also had RBI singles that stretched the Marlins' lead to 6-3.
Miami increased its lead on Rojas’ two-run homer in the third. A day after getting hit in the jaw with a pitch against Washington, Rojas powered a fastball from Mariners’ reliever Matthew Festa over the wall in left for his first homer of the season.
Marlins starter Elieser Hernández settled down after a difficult second and limited Seattle to three runs over five innings. Hernández (2-1) scattered five hits, struck out five and walked one.
Seattle rallied with three runs in the ninth on Jarred Kelenic’s one-out RBI double against reliever Shawn Armstrong. Anthony Bender relieved Armstrong and allowed Luis Torrens’ sacrifice fly and Adam Frazier’s run-scoring single before retiring Ty France on a force out for his fifth save.
Brash (1-2) was lifted after two innings. The right-hander allowed six runs, seven hits, struck out three and walked two.
The Mariners quickly erased a two-run deficit on Torrens’ bases clearing double for a 3-2 advantage in the second.
Mitch Haniger singled to lead off the second in his return from the injured list, but was replaced by pinch runner Abraham Torro because of a right ankle sprain. Haniger missed 11 games after entering COVID protocols and was reactivated Friday.
ROSTER MOVE
The Mariners designated RHP Matt Koch for assignment. Koch had four relief appearances in his one-month stint with the club.
RARE MIAMI APPEARANCE
Despite 25 years of interleague play, the Mariners’ visits to Miami have been scarce. The current three-game series is Seattle’s first in Miami since 2014, and the only other visit against the NL club was another three-game set in 2005.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzales (left forearm contusion) threw a bullpen session Friday and is scheduled to make his next start against Houston on Monday.
Marlins: RHP Dylan Floro (right rotator cuff tendinitis) is scheduled to make a relief appearance Saturday at Triple-A Jacksonville.
UP NEXT
LHP Robbie Ray (2-1, 3.91) will start the middle game of the series for the Mariners on Saturday, while the Marlins will go with LHP Jesús Luzardo (1-1, 3.77).
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