M’s Rodriguez, Kirby revel in All-Star experience in Seattle

By Adam Jude / The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — George Kirby came in hot for his first MLB All-Star Game appearance, throwing 99.5 mph on his first pitch.

He was still a little hot about 15 minutes later standing outside the home clubhouse at T-Mobile Park.

The Mariners’ 25-year-old right-hander, pitching against the heart of the National League lineup, gave up a run in the fourth inning of the NL’s 3-2 comeback victory Tuesday evening.

The only regrettable pitch he threw was a hanging curveball, on a 1-2 count, to Dodgers slugger J.D. Martinez, the NL cleanup hitter. Martinez hit a line drive into the left-field corner for a leadoff double.

“I don’t know why I threw a curveball there. That was stupid,” Kirby said. “I should’ve thrown a heater.”

Kirby was actually a good sport about it, and he said he’s only taking away positives from his All-Star debut. He said he was particularly appreciative of the loud reception he received from the sellout crowd of 47,159 as he jogged in from the bullpen before the fourth inning.

“Just really awesome to see that kind of support,” he said. “That was freaking cool.”

Of the 14 pitches he threw, Kirby induced four swings-and-misses. He threw the five fastest pitches of the game from any regular starting pitcher.

Kirby got St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado to ground out for the first out of the fourth inning.

Miami’s Luis Arraez turned on a 98 mph fastball up in the zone for a sharp single to right field, scoring Martinez from second to tie the score at 1-1.

Arraez, hitting an astonishing .383 in the regular season, was 0 for 12 in 14 plate appearances when the Marlins visited Seattle in mid-June. He was 0 for 3 against Kirby on June 13, a game in which Kirby tossed six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts (and, predictably, no walks).

Arraez won this matchup.

The next batter, Atlanta’s Sean Murphy, flew out when Texas’ Adolis Garcia made his second leaping catch at the wall in right field.

Kirby’s matchup against Seattle native Corbin Carroll, the Diamondbacks’ breakout rookie sensation, was cut short when Texas catcher Jonah Heim threw out Arraez attempting to steal second. Initially ruled safe, Arraez was ruled out after a replay review.

And that ended a memorable experience for Kirby.

“I had lot of fun today, met a lot of good dudes and learned a lot of different things,” he said. “Just being around all those guys that I grew up watching, it was pretty cool. I’m still taking it all in. I’m just glad I did my first time in front of Seattle fans.”

After elating the home crowd the night before with his record-setting performance in the Home Run Derby, Julio Rodriguez, of course, drew a loud ovation as he jogged out to center field to open the sixth inning.

The crowd rose to its feet when Rodriguez came to bat in the seventh inning, chanting “Ju-lio! Ju-lio!” as he stepped in to face Giants closer Camilo Doval.

Rodriguez took the first pitch, at 102 mph, for a ball. He fouled off the next three pitches, all fastballs, before swinging through a 101 mph heater up and out of the zone.

Rodriguez would get another chance to delight the crowd in the most dramatic fashion.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, trying to close out the victory for the NL, the Phillies’ Craig Kimbrel walked the Astros’ Kyle Tucker.

That brought up Rodriguez, who acknowledged, of course, that he would have loved to hit a walkoff homer. He was trying to hit a walkoff homer. Who wouldn’t in that spot?

“I was definitely trying to win it, honestly,” he said.

He didn’t get much of a chance to do so.

After falling behind 1-2, Rodriguez worked a seven-pitch walk. Considering the stakes and the charged environment — the crowd on its feet — it was an impressive display of patience on Rodriguez’s part.

“Given the situation, I had to pass the baton,” he said.

That brought up Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez, who struck out swinging through a Kimbrel fastball at the top of the zone for strike three to end it.

It was the NL’s first win in the All-Star Game since 2012.

The loss didn’t diminish any of the All-Star experience for Rodriguez in his home park.

“Oh my god, that was unbelievable. That was an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “I would say, we’ve had the playoff games all that, but there was just something different. … It was unbelievable to have all the stars here. And the energy that the fans brought, it was unbelievable what they did. Seattle definitely showed out.”

With two more off days during the All-Star break, before the Mariners open a 10-game homestand Friday, Rodriguez said he planned to decompress and relax.

“I’m going to sit in my cold tub and do nothing,” he said.

Note

Mariners ace Luis Castillo, in his third All-Star Game, first as a Mariner, did not make an appearance Tuesday. He watched the game in uniform from the home dugout.

“Well, I had his manager (Scott Servais) sitting right next to me. You know what I mean?” AL manager Dusty Baker said with a smile. “So (Castillo) was kind of in an emergency (use) situation. That’s the only reason. … You’ve got to take care of the other guy’s players.”