Rodríguez and Naylor go deep early, Mariners hold off White Sox 8-6

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit a three-run homer during a five-run second inning for the Seattle Mariners as they beat the Chicago White Sox 8-6 on Wednesday night.

Rodríguez — who on Sunday became the first player in major league history with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in each of his first four seasons — went deep on a hanging sweeper from starter Jonathan Cannon (4-9). Cal Raleigh drove in two runs with a single immediately before Rodríguez's homer.

Seattle led 7-1 after two innings, thanks in part to Josh Naylor's two-run homer in the first. George Kirby (7-5) was effective for six innings, yielding two runs and five hits while striking out nine.

Chicago made it competitive in the seventh after Kirby exited, scoring three runs off reliever Eduard Bazardo on homers from Mike Tauchman and Lenyn Sosa.

Rodríguez scored on Eugenio Suárez's sacrifice fly in the bottom half to make it 8-5.

All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz gave up a solo shot to Michael A. Taylor in the ninth before walking back-to-back batters. Muñoz settled in from there to lock down his 26th save.

The White Sox loaded the bases against Kirby with two outs in the third, but Curtis Mead flied out.

Naylor is the first player with three homers and eight steals in his first 12 games with a franchise since Bobby Brown for San Diego in 1983.

White Sox right-hander Shane Smith (3-7, 4.25 ERA) starts Thursday afternoon against right-hander Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.45) in the series finale.

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

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena (56) celebrates with Julio Rodriguez, right, after Rodriguez hit a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez hits a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez poses in the dugout after scoring on an RBI sacrifice fly from teammate Eugenio Suarez against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

BOSTON (AP) — Marat Khusnutdinov and Viktor Arvidsson scored in the first 3:45 of the game, and the Boston Bruins held on to beat the Seattle Kraken 4-2 on Thursday night after raising Zdeno Chara's No. 33 to the rafters.

Mark Kastelic added a short-handed goal in the second period, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 26 shots for Boston, which swept a five-game homestand for the first time since 2019 and won for the seventh time in eight games. David Pastrnak scored an empty-netter with 15 seconds left after the Kraken picked up back-to-back penalties, then pulled the goalie to play five-on-four.

Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen scored, and Joey Daccord made 20 saves for the Kraken, who have lost four of their last five games.

The Bruins began the night by honoring Chara, the Hall of Fame defenseman who was the captain of their 2011 Stanley Cup championship team. Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and current Bruins president Cam Neely were among those who took part in the ceremony, which ended with Chara's children raising his number to the TD Garden rafters.

Khusnutdinov took a long pass from Charlie McAvoy, skated in on Daccord and slipped in a backhand to make it 1-0 54 seconds into the game. Less than three minutes later, Arvidsson tried to center the puck to Casey Mittelstadt, but it was deflected into the net by Seattle's Jordan Eberle.

The Kraken called an early timeout, leaving them without one when they might have needed it down two players in the final minute.

After Stephenson made it a one-goal game, Kastelic poked the puck away from Kraken forward Matty Beniers and skated in on Daccord for the short-handed goal that made it 3-1.

The Kraken visit Utah on Saturday.

The Bruins visit Chicago on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara speaks during his number retirement ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Boston Bruins' Viktor Arvidsson is congratulated at the bench after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman makes a save as defenseman Nikita Zadorov and Seattle Kraken's Frederick Gaudreau look for the rebound during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Boston Bruins' Mark Kastelic eyes a loose puck as he gets past Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Seattle Kraken's Chandler Stephenson deflects the puck past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)