Perez moves into 6th place on Royals hit list after Mariners’ Rodríguez loses the ball in the sun

By: Andrew Destin, The Associated Press Posted: 10:56 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 1, 2025 Last Modified: 11:57 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 1, 2025

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SEATTLE (AP) — The late sunsets that accompany Seattle summers are revered by most locals, but the odds are Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez was not a fan during the fifth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals.

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Rodríguez lost a flyball to center field from Royals catcher Salvador Perez in the twilight sky, and it turned into a two-run double.

Rodríguez climbed the center field wall, trying to rob a home run, but he misjudged the ball and it bounced off the wall nearby.

Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez misjudges a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez to allow a two-run double during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Not only did Perez’s double give the Royals a 5-1 lead en route to a 6-3 victory, but it moved him past Alex Gordon for the sixth-most hits in Royals history. The 35-year-old backstop has 1,646 hits in 14-season MLB career.

“For him to just keep checking boxes on a Hall of Fame career is really special to be able to watch,” said manager Matt Quatraro.