Mariners rally late to beat Cleveland, climb back to .500

SEATTLE – Back home, and back to .500, the Mariners finally found a way back to their brand of baseball Friday night.

For one night, at least.

The Mariners scored four runs in the seventh inning to rally from an early two-run deficit, backing a strong start from Luis Castillo in a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians to open a six-game homestand before 34,378 at T-Mobile park.

Castillo, benefiting from strong defense behind him, allowed just two runs – on two solo homers – over six sharp innings. Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone each delivered key hits with runners in scoring position to break a 2-all tie in the decisive seventh inning.

Rowdy Tellez and Jorge Polanco each hit their 11th homers of the season, and the Mariners (34-34) got back to .500 after a 1-5 road trip.

The Mariners, trailing 2-0 through three innings, finished with 16 hits, five of which came in the seventh inning off three Cleveland relievers.

Cal Raleigh, after falling behind 1-2 in the count, drew a seven-pitch walk off lefty Tim Herrin to open the seventh.

Polanco, batting right-handed, laced a double down the left-field line, putting two runners in scoring position. Arozarena followed with a sharp single to left off Hunter Gaddis to drive in Raleigh for the go-ahead run.

Canzone, on a 0-2 changeup, slapped a single to right field to drive in two more runs to make it 5-2.

After a Ben Williamson single, fellow rookie Cole Young sent an opposite-field double to left field to drive in another run to make it 6-2.

Tellez hit his home run to the Hit It Here Cafe in the fourth inning off Cleveland starter Gavin Williams.

Polanco hit his homer out to Edgar’s Cantina left field in the eighth inning, extending the Mariners’ lead to 7-2.

It was Polanco’s first homer hitting right handed; a mild oblique strain in early April limited Polanco to only swinging from the left side for much of the season.

J.P. Crawford had three hits to continue his recent hot streak. His two-out single the other way drove in Williamson, who reached on a two-out double.

The Mariners had been atrocious with runners in scoring position over the past week, going 15 for 79 (.190) with a .506 OPS during the six-game road trip.

Gilbert set for return

Logan Gilbert was encouraged with how he felt physically after throwing about 25 pitches in the T-Mobile Park bullpen Friday afternoon, in what he expects to be his final tuneup before returning to the Mariners rotation.

“I’m ready,” the staff ace said. “It’s been too long.”

When, exactly, Gilbert is activated from the injured list remains undecided. At least, no one had formally told him.

“I’m sure I’ll find out on Twitter, like everyone else,” he joked.

Gilbert, out since April 26 with a right flexor strain in his elbow, is expected to start early next week — perhaps as soon as Monday — when the M’s host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series.