SEATTLE (AP) — Jarred Kelenic homered for the fourth consecutive game and Ty France extended his hitting streak to 11 games in the Seattle Mariners’ 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.
Kelenic connected in the second inning against Austin Gomber (0-3) to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead and extend his hitting streak to a career-high eight games.
“It’s definitely a confident feeling, for sure,” Kelenic said. “The biggest thing is I’m trying to simplify it, just stick to trying to be on time for the fastball and not trying to do too much. And it’s working right now.”
Kelenic is the first Mariners player 23 or younger to homer in four straight games since Ken Griffey Jr.’s MLB record tying eight-game homer streak in 1993.
“Can’t say enough about the roll that Jarred Kelenic is on,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “It is some kind of fun to watch. The ball is just exploding off his bat, he’s making really good swing decisions, and it’s all lining up for him.”
Mariners starter Tommy Milone, called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, allowed one earned run and three hits over 4 2/3 innings, while striking out three.
“I felt pretty good,” Milone said. “You know, adrenaline was carrying me most of the game, and I’ve been feeling pretty good, going out and just pitching, whether Tacoma, Spring Training, or here. So we’re just trying to ride that ride and just go for it.”
Reliever Matt Brash (1-1) got the win. Paul Sewald pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his third save.
Kris Bryant gave the Rockies the lead with a solo homer off Milone in the first inning, and Kelenic put the Mariners ahead with his second-inning blast. Kelenic also doubled to right field in the fourth, and scored on a Julio Rodriguez RBI single.
One batter later, France drove in two runs with a double off the center field wall to push the lead to 5-1.
“We have some rhythm to our lineup,” Servais said. “What the guys are doing, and the communication in the dugout between at bats and the pre-game stuff, really good. And it takes awhile. We’re still very early in this season.”
Yonathan Daza hit an RBI infield single for Colorado in the sixth, and Ezeqial Tovar drew a bases-loaded walk to pull the Rockies within two runs.
The Rockies’ bullpen allowed just one hit in the final 4 1/3 innings.
“(They) gave us a chance to come back, which we did,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “We were one hit away from tying that game or taking the lead. So the bullpen did their job.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: INF Elehuris Montero (right thumb) missed his third straight game, but could return to the lineup Saturday.
Mariners: OF Dylan Moore (oblique) was back with the club after returning from extended spring training, and will head to Tacoma for a rehab assignment next week.
UP NEXT
RHP Ryan Feltner will start Saturday for Colorado. He is 0-1 with a 7.45 ERA through his first two starts. RHP George Kirby will start for Seattle. In his first two starts of 2023, he has a 4.35 ERA and nine strikeouts.
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