CHICAGO (AP) — Leody Taveras hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to put Seattle ahead and the Mariners topped the Chicago White Sox 6-5 on Wednesday for their fifth win in six games.
With Seattle trailing 5-4, Rowdy Tellez greeted reliever Mike Vasil (2-2) with a single. Taveras drove Vasil’s next pitch to the right-center bleachers for his second hit of the game.
Seattle’s Cal Raleigh slugged his 16th homer, tying the Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the AL lead, doubled and walked twice. Julio Rodriquez hit a three-run homer for the AL West-leading Mariners.
Chicago’s Lenyn Sosa and Joshua Palacios hit consecutive homers in the fourth. Tim Elko added his third homer in 10 games since being recalled from the minors.
Rookie Chase Meidroth had two hits and put Chicago ahead 5-4 in the seventh with an RBI single. The White Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Seattle starter Logan Evans allowed four runs on six hits in six innings while striking out seven. Casey Legumina (4-1) pitched one inning for the win, despite surrendering an unearned run. Andrés Muñoz worked around a single in the the ninth for his AL-leading 16th save.
White Sox rookie Shane Smith allowed three runs on two hits with six strikeouts in five innings. He settled in after walking the first two Seattle batters and then serving up Rodriguez’s ninth homer.
Elko’s solo shot in the third made it 3-1. Sosa’s two-run homer, followed by Palacios’ drive, put Chicago ahead 4-3.
Raleigh’s solo shot tied it at 4 in the sixth.
Key moment
After Seattle took the the lead, Carlos Vargas and Muñoz retired six of seven hitters to close it out.
Key stat
Meidroth extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Up next
Mariners RHP George Kirby (no record) comes off the IL for his season debut against Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 7.88) at Houston on Thursday.
White Sox RHP Sean Burke (2-5, 4.89) starts on Friday against visiting Texas.
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