Mariners' Julio Rodriguez makes Seattle franchise history not done since 1995 in ALCS Game 7

Billy Heyen

Mariners' Julio Rodriguez makes Seattle franchise history not done since 1995 in ALCS Game 7 image

Julio Rodriguez is one of the best young players in baseball.

He's delivering on that potential in the postseason, no more than he has in ALCS Game 7 for the Seattle Mariners against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Rodriguez doubled his first time, but that was just the appetizer as he came around to score the game's opening run.

His next time up, Rodriguez put up a long battle against Shane Bieber before a hanging slider came his way. Julio didn't miss.

Rodriguez knew it immediately as he watched it soar, high and far and gone to left-center.

In the process, he made Mariners history by breaking a long drought.

The Mariners had only had two players in their history hit a home run in a winner-take-all game, according to MLB Network's Sarah Langs.

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Those two both came in ALDS Game 5 in 1995, when Joey Cora and Edgar Martinez did it in a Seattle win.

Now, 30 years later, Rodriguez has joined the club.

It's a moment a long time coming, and if the Mariners can hold on in Game 7, it'll go down in history.

Rodriguez has a long, magnificent MLB career still to come. But on the biggest stage he's ever been on so far, he certainly looks comfortable.

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Contributing Writer