SEATTLE (AP) — Ryon Healy came to the plate in the first inning mired in an 0-for-13 slump. The Seattle Mariners had the bases loaded and two outs, and Healy broke through in a big way.
Healy doubled to drive in two runs, and followed it up with an even bigger three-run homer in the seventh to tie his career high with five RBIs and lead the Mariners to a 6-4 win against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
“It was a big situation there in the first, bases loaded with two outs. It felt great,” Healy said. “It felt like a monkey was lifted off my back, just helping the team there.”
Healy’s homer was his 18th of the season and helped the Mariners bounce back after dropping the first two games of the series.
Wade LeBlanc (5-0) picked up the win despite giving up four runs and allowing three homers to the Rockies in six innings. The three homers allowed were the most by LeBlanc in an appearance this season.
Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story hit the homers for the Rockies, who snapped a five-game winning streak.
“All three cases were good hitters,” LeBlanc said. “A couple mistakes, and the one to Story I thought was a good pitch.”
Edwin Diaz struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for his major league-leading 35th save.
Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (3-2) allowed all six runs and five hits, walking three with two strikeouts.
“I just wanted to be able to give the team a chance to win. I just needed to settle down. In the sixth, I had one bad pitch and it cost us.”
Senzatela was making his second start of the season after opening the year in the bullpen and a stint in Triple-A Albuquerque. He pitched seven scoreless innings in his previous outing on July 3.
Blackmon gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with his 17th home run. The Mariners answered in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases for Kyle Seager’s sacrifice fly and again for Healy’s double.
Gonzalez led off the fifth inning with his eighth homer for Colorado, and Story gave the Rockies a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth with a two-run shot, his 17th.
In the bottom of the inning, Nelson Cruz walked and Kyle Seager singled. One out later, Healey homered to left field.
STARTING STRONG
The six runs allowed by Senzaltela also ended a streak of eight games where Rockies starters allowed two runs or fewer, which tied a team record.
STRONGER FINISH
The Mariners bullpen was perfect Sunday. James Pazos got three groundouts in the seventh, then Alex Colome struck out the side in the eighth before Diaz did the same in the ninth. It was the second straight save for Diaz where he struck out the side.
TRAINERS ROOM
Rockies: SS Story was back in the starting lineup, one day after snapping his consecutive games played streak at 139 due to a bruised right foot.
Mariners: Dee Gordon started at second base after missing a game with a sore hip. … Manager Scott Servais said C Mike Zunino, who went on the DL Thursday with a left ankle bone bruise, has an “outside chance” at returning to the team after the All Star break.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (6-3, 3.90 ERA) starts Tuesday at Arizona. Anderson is 4-0 in 11 road starts this season, and has thrown eight scoreless innings in his last two starts.
Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (8-5, 4.11) takes the mound in Los Angeles against the Angels on Tuesday as the Mariners start a six-game road trip. Leake earned a loss against the Angels in his last start, giving up four runs in four innings.
