ARTICLE:
Mariners surge ahead as Refsnyder's leadoff homer sparks 5-0 lead
Rob Refsnyder's 0-fer over, mercifully, for Rob Refsnyder.
And it happened immediately Sunday afternoon in his first start since the birth of his third child.
The 35-year-old slugger busted out of an 0-for-18 start to his Mariners' tenure with a home run on the first pitch of the game from Texas left-hander MacKenzie Gore, setting the tone in the Mariners' 5-2 victory to take the series from the Rangers at T-Mobile Park.
It was Refsnyder's first hit with the Mariners and first career leadoff home run.
"You never want to be in a slump, especially early in the year, new team, new city," Refsnyder said. "So I've definitely been hard on myself, but I've had a lot of help. ...
"As an older guy, you try to preach having a routine and don't worry about the results. But sometimes when it's happened to you, it's hard to think like that. But it keeps a good perspective on how long the year is and just the ups and downs of the season."
He credited his teammates and the team's mental performance coach, Adam Bernero, for supporting him through his early-season struggles at the plate.
"He's been an incredible guy to add to this team," M's starter Bryan Woo said. "He's blended in with the locker room and the guys so easily already. He brings such a calming veteran presence ... so for him to kind of break through a little bit there, I know he's been hard on himself, so that means a lot. Everybody was stoked to see that."
Standing in the outfield during batting practice early Sunday, Refsnyder said he was even pleasantly surprised to hear encouragement from M's fans in the stands.
"Honestly, I'm human," he said. "We hear a lot of things, so just to have the fans' support, it meant a lot. I've been some places and played in some good places where you get booed at home and things like that, and it definitely wears on you. I think we're all human."
The Mariners are Refsnyder's seventh team in an 11-year big-league career. He spent the bulk of his career playing for the Red Sox (four seasons) and Yankees (three).
Seattle signed the right-handed Refsnyder over the winter because of his track record of punishing left-handed pitching.
He hadn't showed that yet during his sporadic plate appearances with the Mariners - until he ambushed the first-pitch fastball from Gore, who had shut down this Mariners lineup earlier this month in Texas.
In 810 career plate appearances vs. lefties coming into Sunday, he had a .275/.378/.433 slash line (.811 OPS) with 22 homers and 40 doubles. (In 761 plate appearances vs. righties, he has a .631 OPS with 11 homers.)
Coming into Sunday, Refsnyder's 0-for-18 start matched Minnesota's James Outman for the longest hitless streak to begin this season. (Outman extended that to an 0-for-19 stretch Sunday before singling in his next at-bat.)
The only other MLB player without a hit in at least 10 plate appearances this season: ex-Mariners utility man Dylan Moore, who is 0 for 8 with two walks in his first season with the Phillies.
"Super frustrating," Refsnyder said. "... Especially as a platoon guy, it kind of stinks when you aren't getting any results because you have a couple days to sit on it, too."
Last week, Refsnyder and his wife welcomed their third child, a baby boy named Ryan.
Refsnyder acknowledged he's been exhausted the past few days - who wouldn't be? - but he was looking forward to taking his oldest son to a Dave & Buster's arcade on Sunday evening.
He'd joked with M's manager Dan Wilson that he'd probably have a "different personality" when the team is on the road and he gets the chance to sleep in at the team hotel.
"You're going through a really tough start of the year, but probably one of the most beautiful moments of my life is happening at the same time," Refsnyder said. "So just to try to keep that perspective when you're not getting results or hits has helped. But I'm very tired, so if I'm pretty monotone or dragging a little bit, hopefully you guys give me some grace."
Julio extends streak
Julio Rodríguez hit a 106.9-mph single to left field in the fifth inning Sunday to extend his on-base streak to 16 games.
The next batter, Randy Arozarena, followed with a two-run homer to extend the M's lead to 5-0.
Rodríguez added a four-pitch walk in the seventh inning.
Donovan improving
Brendan Donovan was out of the lineup for the second day in a row Sunday because of a hip discomfort, though it does sound like he could be back in the next day or two.
Wilson said Donovan is "definitely improving" and was available off the bench for Sunday's game.
