Kelenic announces arrival as Mariners top Indians 7-3

SEATTLE (AP) — Prized prospect Jarred Kelenic made his first major league hit memorable with a two-run homer and later added a pair of doubles, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

After going hitless in his big league debut Thursday night, Kelenic brought the crowd to its feet with his first career long ball in the third inning. He stayed with an off-speed pitch from Aaron Civale, but still had the power to drive it 403 feet out to right-center field.

The ball was clocked at 109.3 mph off the bat and Kelenic’s sprint around the bases seemed just as fast. He embraced fellow young Seattle star Kyle Lewis in the dugout with a bearhug and tipped his cap to the fans when their standing ovation didn’t stop.

The 21-year-old Kelenic became the youngest Mariners player to homer since Adam Jones in 2006 and joined Lewis in hitting a home run for their first major league hits. Lewis did it back in September 2019.

Kelenic added a pair of hustling doubles in the fifth and seventh, the second scoring Sam Haggerty to give Seattle a 5-1 lead. Mitch Haniger followed with a two-run homer off reliever Phil Maton, his 11th of the season, to cap the four-run inning for Seattle.

Kyle Seager also homered in the first off Civale, his eighth of the season.

Civale (5-1) allowed a season-high five earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and struck out six.

Seattle starter Chris Flexen allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings and won his third straight decision. The only run Cleveland managed off Flexen (4-1) was Jordan Luplow’s RBI single in the fifth. Flexen permitted five hits and failed to record a strikeout for the second time in three starts.

Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer in the ninth for Cleveland. Rafael Montero got the final...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Kelenic-announces-arrival-as-Mariners-top-Indians-16179028.php