Randy Arozarena hit his first home run of the 2026 season on April 11, helping the Seattle Mariners secure a 9-6 win over the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park. The victory ended a five-game losing streak for Seattle in front of a crowd of 44,468.
The game was significant for the Mariners, who had been struggling offensively and were coming off a difficult road trip. Entering Friday’s matchup, Seattle ranked last in Major League Baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. The team managed only 13 runs during their previous six games.
Arozarena’s fifth-inning home run broke a tie and energized both his teammates and fans. “It was great to give the team the lead,” Arozarena said through an interpreter. “And I think it really gave the rest of the team the opportunity to go out and get more runs on the board.” After rounding the bases in one of MLB’s longest home-run trots this year, Arozarena celebrated by playing Seattle’s home run trident like a guitar near the dugout camera. “We’re coming off of a tough road trip,” he said. “So I think to have this moment, it puts us in a good place.”
Seattle manager Dan Wilson praised his team’s approach at bat against Houston’s depleted pitching staff: “That’s something that we talk about a lot, is making the pitcher earn it,” Wilson said. “And tonight, we were able to do that, and do it effectively. We didn’t go outside the zone. We stayed where we wanted to stay.” The Mariners capitalized with three runs in both their first inning and seventh inning rallies.
The Astros faced additional challenges after starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai exited early due to struggles on the mound; injuries have also sidelined other key pitchers from Houston’s rotation recently.
While one strong performance does not erase earlier difficulties for Seattle this season, Friday’s win provided momentum as they continue their four-game series against Houston.
