Colt Emerson homers as Mariners beat Nationals 10-2 after long rain delay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Colt Emerson homered in a five-run second inning and the Seattle Mariners routed the Washington Nationals 10-2 after a long rain delay Friday night to open a three-game series.

Bryce Miller allowed two runs in a career-high eight innings for AL West-leading Seattle, which lost outfielder Randy Arozarena in the third inning to a leg injury while running through first base on a groundout. Manager Dan Wilson said Arozarena might have suffered a hamstring strain, a spasm or a cramp and will be re-evaluated Saturday.

James Wood hit his 19th homer for Washington (35-35), which slipped back to .500 and fell to an NL-worst 12-21 at home.

The game was delayed 2 hours, 11 minutes at the start because of rain.

Dominic Canzone opened the scoring with a two-run triple to center in the second, then came around on Miles Mastrobuoni’s sacrifice fly. Jhonny Pereda singled before Emerson ripped Zack Littell’s fastball to deep center.

Emerson is the fourth Mariner to hit five home runs before his 21st birthday, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (38), Alex Rodriguez (26) and José López (five).

Miller (3-0) allowed Wood’s homer to lead off the fourth and Dylan Crews’ blast to open the eighth, but didn’t permit another runner past first base. He struck out seven while yielding four hits and no walks.

Cole Young scored on a wild pitch and Luke Raley hit a two-run single in the fifth for Seattle. Canzone led off the eighth with a homer, and Josh Naylor added a solo shot in the ninth.

Littell (6-5) allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings without recording a strikeout. He threw 43 of his 56 pitches in the second inning.

Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.16 ERA) was set to face RHP Cade Cavalli (3-4, 3.88) on Saturday.

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

Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena, left, gestures at first base after he hit a single during the second inning of a baseball game next to Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr., right,, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews makes a sliding catch on a sacrifice fly by Seattle Mariners' Miles Mastrobuoni during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena celebrates in the dugout after he scored on a triple by Dominic Canzone during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The Washington Nationals grounds crew prepares the field before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Seattle Mariners, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Seattle Mariners' Colt Emerson celebrates his two-run home run in the dugout during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center was running out of options Friday evening to keep President Donald Trump's name on the facade of the iconic performing arts venue.

A judge earlier in the afternoon rejected a request to pause a court-ordered deadline of Friday to remove references to Trump from the building and other aspects of the Kennedy Center's operations. The institution appealed that ruling, an effort that was also rebuffed Friday evening.

Scaffolding was erected around a section of the building that includes Trump's name but the Kennedy Center sought a short extension to complete the work. Shortly after midnight, the Kennedy Center asked a judge to extend the deadline until noon Eastern Time on Saturday because of storms that had swept through the Washington area Friday, causing a delay. Some of the thunderstorms included lightning.

In the filing, the Kennedy Center offered assurance that the “removal work is presently ongoing” and would “conclude in the early hours of the morning.”

Dozens of people spent hours on the plaza in front of the Kennedy Center taking pictures and cheering occasionally as they broke into chants of “take it down.” Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who sued to have Trump's name removed from the building, was spotted at one point on the plaza as well.

After ignoring the Kennedy Center for much of his first term, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his return to office. Just a month into his second term, he ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. Trump's name was quickly added to the building.

In his ruling that only Congress could make changes to the Kennedy Center's name, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July and last for two years.

The Kennedy Center's leadership argued in its appeal Friday that the renovation was badly needed and accused the lower court, in terms that seemed similar to Trump's speech patterns, of interfering in the effort.

“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” according to the appeal. “Indeed, total collapse!”

Even as the Kennedy Center has fought efforts to remove Trump's name from the building, it has taken steps to comply with Cooper's initial ruling.

A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s website has dropped Trump's name. And an earlier email sent to members offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump’s name.

Associated Press journalists Anna Johnson, Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Workers construct scaffolding at the sign for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Workers erect scaffolding in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Workers construct scaffolding below the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Workers erect scaffolding in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts sign in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A worker sits on scaffolding at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)