Randal Grichuk launched a game-tying home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, propelling the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 comeback win over the visiting Seattle Mariners on Sunday afternoon.
Grichuk connected on a pitch from reliever Eduard Bazardo (2-2), sending it just over the left-field wall to even the score. Drew Romo followed with a double to right field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sam Antonacci. The Mariners intentionally walked Munetaka Murakami to set up a potential inning-ending double play, but Miguel Vargas foiled that plan with a sacrifice fly. Left fielder Randy Arozarena’s throw home was off-target, sailing over catcher Cal Raleigh and allowing Romo to slide in safely with the go-ahead run.
Bryan Hudson (1-0) contributed a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win, while Seranthony Dominguez secured his ninth save despite a tense ninth inning. The Mariners loaded the bases with one out after singles by Connor Joe and J.P. Crawford and a walk to Rob Refsnyder. Dominguez induced a popout to shortstop Colson Montgomery in shallow center field from Cole Young, then got Brendan Donovan to ground out to first base on a broken-bat dribbler.
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert was sharp, allowing just one hit over six scoreless innings. That lone hit was a two-out double by Vargas in the first inning, a 108.4-mph rocket off the left-field wall that momentarily confused the scoreboard operator into triggering the home run fireworks display at Rate Field. Gilbert did not issue a walk and matched a season high with nine strikeouts.
Seattle struck first in the top of the first inning with a revamped batting order. After Donovan, activated from the injured list over the weekend, flied out to center, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor—moved up to the Nos. 2-3 spots with the slumping Cal Raleigh dropping to cleanup—reached base. Rodriguez doubled to left, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Naylor walked. After Raleigh struck out to extend his hitless streak to 30 at-bats, Arozarena lined an RBI single up the middle. Raleigh finished 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk.
White Sox starter Davis Martin turned in a solid outing, allowing one run on three hits over six innings, with two walks and nine strikeouts.
The White Sox captured two of three games in the series.
