Julio Rodríguez homers in first inning of ALCS Game 3

SEATTLE — It was a party that this region hasnâ€t seen in 24 years, and Julio Rodríguez got it started in a big way on Wednesday night.

The Mariners†star center fielder blasted a two-run homer during the first inning of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Blue Jays, hammering a middle-in fastball from Shane Bieber into the home bullpen and sending T-Mobile Park into bedlam.

Wednesdayâ€s contest was just the sixth ALCS game in the ballparkâ€s history and first since 2001. The Mariners obviously lost that series to the Yankees and remain MLBâ€s only team thatâ€s never played in the World Series. With a commanding 2-0 series lead in this best-of-seven round, theyâ€re in a favorable position to advance — but they continue to preach urgency, with Rodríguezâ€s first-inning homer being a prime example.

The ball scorched off Rodríguezâ€s bat at 112.2 mph and sailed 414 feet, nicking the out-of-town scoreboard beyond left field before dropping in front of his reliever teammates. And it scored Randy Arozarena, too, who led off with a walk then stole second base to put Bieber on the ropes.

The Mariners have now scored 18 of their 34 runs in these playoffs via homers, after ranking second in MLB during the regular season by scoring via their homers at a 50% clip. Rodríguez also went deep during the first inning of Game 2 with a three-run shot that proved vital, given how Toronto mounted momentum shortly after and eventually tied that game in the second against Logan Gilbert. The Blue Jays also went on to score five runs in the third inning against George Kirby in Wednesday’s Game 3.

In Seattleâ€s limited postseason history, Wednesdayâ€s homer was just its fifth in the first inning — and Rodríguez now accounts for two of those in the past two games alone. The other three were from Cal Raleigh, Edgar Martinez and Mike Cameron.

In these playoffs, and after his first at-bat on Wednesday, Rodríguez is slugging .567 with a .910 OPS and eight RBIs through 30 at-bats, propelling from the torrid second half in which he was among MLBâ€s most productive players.

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