Former AquaSox star Colt Emerson hits walk-off for Mariners win

Published 8:15 pm Sunday, August 2, 2026

SEATTLE — For some baseball players, the path from Everett to Seattle turns out to be too far for one career.

Former Everett AquaSox shortstop Colt Emerson made quick work of the trip from Frog to Mariners hero in just over a year, highlighted by a game-salvaging, walk-off single against the Minnesota Twins Sunday at T-Mobile Park.

After watching the bullpen blow a six-run lead, Emerson walked up to the plate with his batting average at just under .200. The game was tied at six runs apiece with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and the 21-year-old felt some pressure release as he watched Josh Naylor hustle from first to third on Victor Robles’ single.

The game stalled for a moment as trainers checked on Naylor, who had faceplanted during his scorpion-like headfirst slide into third.

After Stuart Fairchild entered as Naylor’s pinch-runner, Emerson knew he just needed something to move Fairchild the final 90 feet.

“It doesn’t take the pressure off me, but like 85% of the pressure is completely off because all I got to do is hit a weak fly ball. I’ve done that a million times, you know what I mean?” Emerson said with a chuckle. “That’s all I got to do, and in that situation – I haven’t been on the fastball at all this whole series. (Twin close Yoendrys Gomez) is throwing hard. I know I’m gonna get a fastball, so all I gotta do is get on time with one of them, and thank God I did.”

This was no weak fly ball, though. Emerson hit a 105 MPH rocket through a 5-man Twins’ infield, and Fairchild jogged home for a 7-6 victory that allowed Seattle to win the three-game series.

Emerson finished the day 2-for-4 with a walk to go along with his game-winning RBI.

“I thought his at-bats today were outstanding, said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, whose team improved to 55-58 to stay afloat in the AL West. “I love the line drive to left to kind of get him locked in a little bit, and he’s taking good swings. I thought he got a pitch he could handle that today, and put a really good swing out there in the ninth, and hit it hard.

“Those are the kind of things that give you confidence.”

Prior to that, the Mariners built a 6-0 lead, including a three-run homer from Cal Raleigh, his 12th of the season.

That seemed plenty for Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby, who took the mound amid rumors he’s been the subject of trade talks. With the trade deadline looming just under 26 hours away from his first pitch on Sunday, the 28-year-old right-hander shut out the Twins (56-57) for seven innings.

“With everything going on, just try and go out there and do my best,” Kirby said. “So it was a little bit of motivation, I guess. But yeah, I love this place. I want to stay here. I want to show them I’m worthy of it.”

Kirby worked around five hits and a walk while striking out three batters among his 94 pitches, including 62 strikes.

For the 106th time in his career, Kirby allowed one or fewer walks, which is 10 more than any starter in the MLB since 2022.

After saying goodbye earlier in the day to fellow starting pitcher Luis Castillo – traded to the White Sox Saturday – Kirby took the mound knowing it could be his last start in the Mariners uniform, and made it clear that the rumors are unavoidable when asked if he’d heard the trade winds blowing.

“I’d be lying if I said no,” Kirby said. “I don’t have Twitter. I’m not seeing anything, but you always hear stuff, whether it’s from my agent or just anybody. So I do my best to try and not worry about that.

“Kind of something deep in your mind you read about a little bit. With the Louis situation … I love him. I hope for the best for him and his family in Chicago.”

Naylor’s two-RBI double and defensive double play helped Kirby early.

Of late, the Mariners have struggled to tack on runs, but Cole Young gave Kirby some extra cushion with a two-out, RBI single in the sixth. Young drove in Emerson for a 3-0 edge as part of a 4-for-5 afternoon from the leadoff spot.

After Raleigh’s three-run blast in the seventh, Kirby turned the ball over to the bullpen, but the 6-0 lead wasn’t enough.

Eduard Bazardo gave up a two-run bomb to Trevor Lanarch after Emerson’s throwing error allowed Ryan Kreidler to reach base.

Left-hander Jose A. Ferrer fared no better in the eighth, giving up a three-run homer to Royce Lewis for a 6-5 score and some white-knuckle time for Mariners fans among the announced attendance of 41,710.

Andres Munoz’s second pitch to Luke Keaschall in the top of the ninth landed on the other side of the right field wall for the M’s closer’s sixth blown save of the season. Munoz allowed a one-out single and walk after Keaschall’s blast, but struck out Josh Bell and got a groundout from Kody Clemens to set up Emerson’s heroics in the bottom of the inning.

Before his rough slide in the ninth, Naylor gave Kirby some early support.

Though the first baseman registered just four extra-base hits in July, a two-out double in his first at bat Sunday gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Young singled to open the frame, Arozarena walked, and both scored on Naylor’s opposite-field hit that landed just shy of the wall in the left field corner.

The Twins threatened in the second, but came away empty-handed despite three hits off Kirby in the inning.

Lewis reached on an infield single, but Naylor caught Brooks Lee’s sinking line drive before stepping on first to double-up Lewis.

Alan Roden hit a two-out pop fly that landed just past Emerson’s glove and in front of outfielders Julio Rodriguez and Robles. With runners at first and third, Kreidler hit a ball in the same general area, but this time it was caught by Robles in shallow right-center despite a minor bump from Rodriguez.

The Mariners will have an off day on Monday before opening a three-game series against Detroit Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.