Mariners vs Guardians Recap: Emerson's HR fuels 3-1 win

The Mariners rolled into Cleveland on Friday night looking to bounce back. They'd dropped their last two games and needed a win badly. The Guardians sat one game ahead in the standings at 42-39, but Seattle was hungry. Luis Castillo took the mound for Seattle, ready to lead his team to victory. In the bottom of the first inning, Cleveland got on the board fast. Kahlil Watson smacked a double down the left field line, and Kyle Manzardo raced home to give the Guardians an early 1-0 lead. The crowd at the stadium roared. But Seattle wasn't ready to fold. The Mariners were down but definitely not out of this fight.

The third inning brought the magic Seattle needed. Colt Emerson stepped up to face Joey Cantillo with two outs on the board. Cantillo threw an 82 mile-per-hour changeup right into Emerson's sweet spot. Emerson crushed it. The ball rocketed over the right field wall and sailed 361 feet into the night sky. One swing tied the game at 1-1, and Seattle's dugout erupted. The Mariners had life. In the seventh inning, things got even better for the visitors. With two outs, J.P. Crawford worked Guardians reliever Tim Herrin, fouling off pitches and staying alive. Finally, Crawford ripped a slider up the middle. Cal Raleigh sprinted home from third base. Seattle led 2-1 and was in complete control.

The eighth inning delivered the final blow. Julio Rodriguez stepped into the batter's box facing Guardians reliever Daniel Espino. Espino fired a 91 mile-per-hour slider that Rodriguez was waiting for. He drove a single to left field with one out. The hit was perfect timing. Colt Emerson sprinted home from second base, and Randy Arozarena moved to second. The Mariners had their insurance run. Seattle won 3-1, improving to 42-41 on the season. Luis Castillo pitched six strong innings, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out four. Andres Munoz closed it out perfectly in the ninth, recording two strikeouts without surrendering a run. Seattle grabbed a crucial road victory and stayed alive in their playoff push.