The Seattle Mariners are living through a historic postseason moment thanks to the team's young superstar Julio Rodriguez. The 24-year-old outfielder made American League Championship Series history, becoming the first player since Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox in 2005 to hit multi-run home runs in the first inning of back-to-back ALCS games.
The Mariners PR department shared the stat on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting just how rare the achievement was for Seattle fans witnessing their team’s deepest postseason run since 2001.
“Julio Rodriguez hit a 3-run homer in Game 2 and hits a 2-run homer tonight in the 1st inning.
@JRODshow44 is the first player to hit multi-run HR in the 1st inning of back-to-back ALCS games since Paul Konerko for the 2005 White Sox — 20 years ago today.”
Rodriguez’s early-inning fireworks have come against elite pitching. In Game 2, he crushed a three-run shot off rookie Trey Yesavage, fueling a 10-3 win that gave the Mariners a 2-0 series lead. Two nights later, he launched a 112.2 mph, 414-foot blast off former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber in Game 3. Despite Seattle trailing 12-2 in the eighth inning, the rising star’s first-inning homer stood as the club’s lone highlight.
Through three games, Rodriguez has a .444 batting average with four hits, two home runs, five RBIs, and four runs scored in the 2025 ALCS. After going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs so far in Game 3 Wednesday night, he’s continued to help anchor the Mariners offense and establish himself as an emotional and offensive centerpiece in this special Mariners postseason run.
Game 3 is being played in Seattle, where the Blue Jays currently lead 12-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning. If the score holds, the Mariners will carry a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 at home. While the Jays have regained some momentum, Rodriguez’s historic knock still connected eras of postseason greatness, echoing Konerko’s 2005 heroics. For the Mariners, it’s both a reminder of how far this team has come and a glimpse of what might still lie ahead.
