Arozarena's Historic Performance
Randy Arozarena Hits Leadoff and Walk-Off Homers in Mariners' Comeback Win
Key Points
The leadoff homer was hit on the very first pitch Randy Arozarena saw, off Cubs starter David Peterson, traveling about 416 feet.
Defensively, Arozarena robbed Miguel Amaya of a home run in the third inning, leaping at the wall to take it away as rookie Kade Anderson pitched in his Mariners debut.
The game’s dramatic finish came when Arozarena hit a two-run walk-off in the ninth after back-to-back sliders from Cubs reliever Jacob Webb, a 404-foot shot that completed Seattle’s 5-4 comeback.
Historically, Arozarena joined a very small club as the seventh player to have both a leadoff homer and a walk-off homer in the same game; the list includes Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chris Young, Ian Kinsler, Reed Johnson, Darin Erstad, and Vic Power, with Crow-Armstrong doing it earlier in the same week.
Randy Arozarena delivered one of the most dominant single-game performances in Seattle Mariners history, leading the team to a 5-4 comeback win over the Chicago Cubs Sporting News. The outfielder went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs, and a walk — starting with a leadoff homer on the very first pitch from Cubs starter David Peterson and ending with a two-run walk-off shot in the ninth inning SI. Arozarena joined an exclusive club of just seven players ever to hit both a leadoff and walk-off homer in the same game HITC.
A Leadoff Blast on the First Pitch
Arozarena's game started explosively when Brendan Donovan was scratched from the lineup after taking a ball to the head during batting practice. This moved Arozarena into the leadoff spot for only the second time all season. On the very first pitch he saw from Peterson, Arozarena drove a fastball 416 feet into the seats SI. The early homer set the tone for what would become a historic performance and gave Seattle an immediate advantage.
Defensive Gem Preserves Mariners' Comeback Chances
With the Cubs threatening in the third inning, Arozarena made a spectacular play that proved just as important as his offensive output HITC. Miguel Amaya ripped a ball toward the wall, but Arozarena sprinted over and leaped to rob him of a home run. The catch came during rookie Kade Anderson's major league debut, helping the pitcher escape the inning unscathed and preserve the Mariners' chances for a late rally.
Walk-Off Drama in the Ninth Inning
The game remained tense heading into the ninth inning with the Mariners down 4-3. Cubs reliever Jacob Webb threw back-to-back sliders to Arozarena before the outfielder connected on his second homer of the night SI. The blast traveled 404 feet and scored two runners, giving Seattle a 5-4 victory and capping a remarkable turnaround. Arozarena's walk-off completed one of the greatest individual performances in modern Mariners history.
An Extraordinarily Rare MLB Achievement
Arozarena's feat places him among baseball's elite company Sporting News. Only six other players in MLB history have hit a leadoff home run and a walk-off home run in the same game: Vic Power, Reed Johnson, Darin Erstad, Ian Kinsler, Chris Young, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. What makes Arozarena's achievement even more remarkable is that Crow-Armstrong accomplished the same feat just days earlier in the same week, marking an extraordinary coincidence. The Mariners have never had a player pull off this milestone until now.
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