Rookie Cole Young delivers a walk-off single on July 20, 2025, to give the Seattle Mariners a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros in 11 innings.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
In a season defined by grit, the Seattle Mariners just delivered their signature moment. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th, rookie phenom Cole Young stepped to the plate and laced a single into the outfield, sending T-Mobile Park into a frenzy and sealing a massive 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros. It was a chaotic, back-and-forth affair, but when the dust settled, the kid had come through, and the Mariners are now closer to first place than they've been all month.
Cole Young is the first Mariners player 21 or younger to record a walk-off hit since some guy named Alex Rodriguez did it back in 1996.
This game was a rollercoaster from start to finish. The Mariners jumped out to a comfortable 4-1 lead, looking poised for a straightforward win. But the Astros, as they so often do, clawed back. A disastrous sixth inning saw reliever Carlos Vargas lose command, hitting two batters and surrendering the lead on a string of singles from Jose Altuve, Victor Caratini, and Christian Walker. Just when it felt like the air had been let out of the stadium, Seattle tied it in the eighth on a crucial wild pitch that scored Randy Arozarena. The teams traded runs in the 10th before Eduard Bazardo delivered a clutch scoreless top of the 11th, setting the stage for Young's heroics.
Let's talk about Cole Young. The rookie second baseman, not even 22 years old, looked like a seasoned veteran. Facing the tough Hector Neris with the game on the line, he didn't try to do too much. He took a low splitter and drove it for the game-winner, mobbed by his teammates as Dominic Canzone crossed the plate. The historical context is staggering: he's the first Mariner his age to walk it off since Alex Rodriguez in 1996. While no one is putting him in that category yet, it's a clear sign that the future is bright, and more importantly, the future is now.
This wasn't just one win; it was a statement. The victory extends the Mariners' winning streak to five games and shrinks the AL West deficit to just three games. With the M's now at 53-45 and the Astros stumbling on a three-game skid, the pressure is officially on Houston. This surge is a team effort, with Cal Raleigh (38 HR, 83 RBI) providing the power and J.P. Crawford (.387 OBP) setting the table. The front office is also making moves to win now, reinstating lefty reliever Gabe Speier from the IL yesterday while designating Mike Baumann for assignment. Every piece is being put in place for a serious second-half push.
With five straight wins and the division lead tantalizingly close, the Mariners have all the momentum. They've proven they can hang with the Astros and win the tough, gritty games. The challenge now is to keep this fire burning. The AL West is there for the taking, and after a Sunday afternoon thriller like this one, it's impossible not to believe this team can go out and grab it.
