Devers hits game-winning double in 10th and Red Sox beat Mariners 3-2

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning for his third hit of the game, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Wednesday.

Zack Kelly (4-1) pitched out of a major jam in a scoreless 10th for the win. Danny Jansen hit a tying single in the sixth and Boston took two of three from the Mariners, who are locked in a tight race with Houston atop the AL West.

“It feels like a relief, to be honest with you,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “To win the series, it feels good.”

Josh Rojas homered for Seattle, and Dylan Moore had an RBI single.

Tyler O’Neill was the automatic runner at second as Devers led off the bottom of the 10th. With an open base at first and left-hander Jhonathan Díaz on the mound, Seattle manager Scott Servais chose to pitch to the left-handed-hitting Devers — and the All-Star slugger made the Mariners pay.

Devers drove a 2-0 slider from Díaz (0-1) off the bottom portion of the Green Monster in left-center, and O'Neill scored easily as the ball caromed away from Seattle's outfielders.

It was Boston’s fourth walk-off win this season, and the first game-ending hit for Devers since June 14, 2021.

“It felt very good to help the team win, and happy we were able to win this series,” Devers said. “We need to win every game, every series in the second half. Winning is very important in the second half and I was very happy to be able to do it.”

Kelly threw a wild pitch in the top of the 10th that allowed automatic runner Cal Raleigh to reach third with nobody out. But the right-hander struck out Mariners newcomer Justin Turner and retired Leo Rivas on a grounder that kept Raleigh pinned at third.

After Luke Raley was hit by a pitch and Moore walked to load the bases, Mitch Garver grounded out to end the inning.

“We had a lot of opportunities to bust it open,” Servais said. “In a game like this, you’re just like one big hit away from getting on the good side of this thing, but not for lack of effort. But, I like the way we’re playing. The at-bats are better. We just didn’t come through with runners in scoring position today.”

Boston opened the scoring in the first inning when Masataka Yoshida walked with two outs and went to third on Devers’ double before scoring on a wild pitch by George Kirby.

Moore tied it with a two-out single in the fourth after Raleigh led off with a double. Rojas homered to straightaway center in the fifth.

After a one-out double in the sixth, Dominic Smith scored when Jansen chased Kirby with an RBI single.

Kirby gave up two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, snapping his streak of quality starts at nine. It was the longest such streak by a Mariners pitcher since Félix Hernández had 16 straight in 2014.

“They've got a lot of good hitters that work counts,” said Kirby, who threw a first-pitch knuckleball in tribute to former Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who died of cancer in October. “Wasn’t getting a lot of chase on the splitter. I would have liked more swings and misses, but they made it tough today.”

Boston starter Brayan Bello went 6 1/3 innings, permitting two runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts.

Lucas Sims, making his Red Sox debut after being acquired from Cincinnati in a trade Tuesday, replaced Bello with runners at the corners and got out of the jam when Turner grounded out with the bases loaded.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: OF Victor Robles, who left Tuesday’s game in the eighth inning because of a hip issue that's been bothering him, was not in the starting lineup. After an off day Thursday, the Mariners hope he will be back in the lineup Friday.

Red Sox: 1B Triston Casas, on the injured list since April 21 with a left rib strain, was scheduled to play nine innings at first base in a rehab game for Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday night. … INF Vaughn Grissom, on the IL since June 2 with a right hamstring strain, was scheduled to play second base for Worcester, continuing his rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Mariners: Return home Friday to open a three-game set against Philadelphia. RHP Tyler Phillips (3-0, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Phillies. Seattle had not announced a starting pitcher.

Red Sox: RHP Kutter Crawford (6-8, 3.60 ERA) starts Friday at Texas, which had not announced a starter yet.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida, right, is helped by manager Alex Cora after colliding with Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby, while scoring on a wild pitch during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida, right, is helped by teammate Rob Refsnyder after colliding with Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby, while scoring on a wild pitch during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida grimaces after colliding with Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby, not pictured, while scoring on a wild pitch during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida, center, grimaces while colliding with Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby (68) while scoring on a wild pitch during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Danny Jansen dashes down the first base line on his RBI single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello, right, is pulled by manager Alex Cora (13) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas rounds the bases on his solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Danny Jansen stretches back to make the play on a pop out by Seattle Mariners' Mitch Haniger during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Seattle Mariners first baseman Justin Turner (2) tries to throw out Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida, center, as pitcher George Kirby, right, covers first after a fielding error by Turner during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, right, argues a call with umpire Andy Fletcher (49) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Zack Kelly pumps his fist after Seattle Mariners' Dylan Moore grounded out with bases loaded to end the top of the 10th inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers, left, celebrates after his game-winning RBI double, which drove in Tyler O'Neill, during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. At right is Boston Red Sox shortstop Romy Gonzalez. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers, left, celebrates after his game-winning RBI double, which drove in Tyler O'Neill, during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. At right is Boston Red Sox shortstop Romy Gonzalez. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers watches the flight of his game-winning RBI double, which drove in Tyler O'Neill, during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Julio Rodríguez homered twice to drive in five runs, George Kirby went six innings for his 13th victory and the AL wild card-chasing Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 on Friday night.

Rodríguez put the Mariners (79-75) ahead to stay with his three-run homer in the fifth off Jack Leiter, who relieved Jacob deGrom after the two-time Cy Young Award winner made his first home start in nearly 17 months after elbow surgery.

Seattle remained two games behind Minnesota for the third and final wild card after the Twins beat Boston 4-2 in 12 innings. The Mariners stayed five back of Houston in the AL West with eight games remaining, three in Houston.

“We’re still in it. Everyone’s confident. Just got to to keep playing good baseball," Kirby said.

“It feels great. Obviously we have a shot to get into the playoffs,” Rodríguez said. “But I feel like everybody knows that and understands that at the same time we've got to take it one day at a time. ... We've got to focus on that right now.”

Rodríguez tied a career high for RBIs with his first multihomer game this season. His first homer put Seattle up 4-2, and he went deep off the rookie right-hander again in the seventh with a two-run shot the opposite way to right field for his 18th of the year.

Kirby (13-11) beat the reigning World Series champions again, five days after facing the minimum 21 batters over seven scoreless innings at home against them. The 26-year-old right-hander is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA in nine career starts against Texas. He struck out four without a walk this time while allowing two runs on five hits.

“George jumped picked up right where he left off against Texas back at home,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said.

Nathaniel Lowe had a two-run single for the Rangers (73-81), who have already been eliminated from the AL West race and are on the verge of being officially knocked out of wild-card contention and guaranteed a losing record.

Lowe's hit ended Kirby's streak of 34 consecutive scoreless innings against Texas in a span of seven starts since Sept. 28, 2022.

DeGrom struck out five over three innings, and the only run he allowed was when No. 9 batter Josh Rojas led off the third with a homer. Rojas later added a sacrifice fly.

Leiter (0-3) allowed seven runs (six earned) over five innings. He struck out five and walked two while throwing 57 of 92 pitches for strikes.

A week after throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut on the road, also against the Mariners, deGrom threw 37 of 58 pitches for strikes and had one walk. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy had said the 36-year-old right-hander would throw about 60 pitches.

“Definitely felt better than my first one. I think maybe a little bit less nerves, worked on some things in between,” said deGrom, who will get one more start this season. "It’s little things that I've got to continue to work on, but my arm felt good and that was the most important thing.”

It was the first start at home for deGrom since he left in the middle of the fourth inning against the New York Yankees on April 28, 2023. That was the sixth and last start in the first season of his $185 million, five-year contract.

UP NEXT

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (2-4, 3.95 ERA) makes his second start since coming off the IL after missing 40 games with right shoulder fatigue and an arm nerve issue. Rookie right-hander Emerson Hancock (3-4, 4.83) starts for Seattle.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe (30) hits a two-run single in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez celebrates in the dugout after a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners Josh Rojas (4) celebrates in the dugout after a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) and catcher Jonah Heim (28) walk back to the dugout in the first inning in a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez (44) hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez reacts toward the dugout as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)