PHOENIX – Kyle Seager’s 33rd homer this season at 33 years old was one for the highlight reel, flying over the right-center field fence and landing in the swimming pool at Chase Field to push the Seattle Mariners to an 8-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

The man of the hour was Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners general manager who agreed to a multiyear extension.

Ten days ago, the Seattle Mariners pitching staff couldn't get outs, giving up an avalanche of runs to Houston's powerful offense.

SEATTLE – Almost three years ago to the month, they convinced Seattle Mariners ownership to embark on the franchise’s first real rebuild in more than two decades with the hope it would lead to something more than ending a postseason drought, and sustained success at the highest level of Major League Baseball.

Given how many times the two teams would play after that surreal and emotional Tuesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park on July 26, it had to happen at some point this season.

Jake Meyers had the last of three singles as part of Houston’s eighth-inning rally against former teammate Joe Smith, scoring Kyle Tucker with the go-ahead run and sending the Astros over the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Monday night.

With a slew of right-handed starting pitchers coming up over the next three series and the Mariners in need of some offensive punch, they have turned to one of Class AAA’s top hitters for some help.

When it seemed like the Mariners were trending toward a disastrous four-game sweep, Kyle Seager smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, providing the difference in the Mariners’ 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals

Salvador Perez homered for the third straight game and led the Kansas City Royals over the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Saturday.

The Seattle Mariners dropped a second game in a row to the Kansas City Royals 8-7 in the 12th inning Friday. 

The Seattle Mariners skipper has been a rock for a team expected to do little, if anything, this year. He has been the backbone of a squad dismissed before the season began and doubted all along the way.