SEATTLE (AP) — Touted prospect Colt Emerson launched a three-run homer for his first major league hit, and the Seattle Mariners stopped a three-game slide Monday night with a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Bryan Woo (4-2) pitched six shutout innings for the Mariners, allowing three hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out eight and retired his final 11 batters. He threw 60 of his 90 pitches for strikes.
Julio Rodríguez hit his eighth homer — a solo shot off Noah Schultz (2-3) in the first to put Seattle ahead for good.
Emerson, the team’s top pick in the 2023 amateur draft, connected on a 2-2 pitch from Trevor Richards with two outs in the eighth to extend the lead to 6-1.
The 20-year-old third baseman was selected 22nd overall and recently signed a $95 million, eight-year contract — the largest for a minor league player with no big league experience. He was called up over the weekend and had family in the stands Monday for his second game after they were unable to attend his debut Sunday.
Jhonny Pereda was hit by a pitch before scoring on a two-out double by Randy Arozarena to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the third.
Pereda was thrown out at home but it was ruled shortstop Colson Montgomery impeded his progress rounding second and the run was awarded. White Sox manager Wil Venable was ejected for arguing the call.
Arozarena doubled again leading off the sixth, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Josh Naylor to make it 3-0. Naylor finished 3 for 4 and stole two bases.
Sam Antonacci singled off Woo to begin the game and Munetaka Murakami followed with a walk, but Antonacci was thrown out at third by Woo when he tried to take an extra base on the free pass.
Antonacci and Murakami had one-out singles to put runners at the corners in the third, but Woo struck out Miguel Vargas and Montgomery to keep it 1-0.
Eduard Bazardo gave up a leadoff homer to Tristan Peters in the seventh for Chicago’s lone run. José A. Ferrer got the final out in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth before Andrés Muñoz worked a perfect ninth.
Up next
White Sox LHP Anthony Kay (3-1, 4.61 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (0-0, 3.38).
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