SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners got right back on track after being swept over the weekend with a 6-1 win against the Chicago White Sox on Monday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

The Mariners played Monday's game with a noticeable amount more energy than over the weekend.

Seattle's performance was bookended by two respective home runs. The first of the two yard-clearing hits was a solo home run by center fielder Julio Rodriguez in the bottom of the first inning that gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead. The second was a three-run shot by third baseman Colt Emerson in the bottom of the eighth that resulted in the eventual final of 6-1.

Emerson's homer was the first base hit of his major league career. The 20-year-old infielder was called up Sunday for his big league debut and Monday was his first MLB game in front of his friends and family, who were among the 31,409 people in attendance at T-Mobile Park.

"I joked with (my family) yesterday, 'Ah, I'll just save the first hit until you're here,'" Emerson said after the game. "Obviously not (serious) but wouldn't want it any other way."

In between Rodriguez and Emerson's respective homers, the Mariners were able to find various ways to keep the White Sox from grabbing any kind of momentum, both offensively and defensively.

At the plate, left fielder Randy Arozarena bolstered Seattle's lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third after bringing home catcher Jhonny Pereda with an RBI double.

Pereda, who was initially tagged out at home, was given the run after Chicago shortstop Colson Montgomery was called for obstruction after a collision between him and Pereda between second and third.

White Sox manager Will Venable objected to the ruling and was ejected from the game as a result.

"I thought the guys were aggressive on the bases," M's manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Monday. "On the interference play, I thought — heads-up (play) by (third base coach Carlos Cardoza) to keep him rolling. I think that's the right call right there."

The Mariners (23-26) bolstered their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth after first baseman Josh Naylor hit an RBI single to bring home Arozarena.

Arozarena reached via a lead-off double and advanced to third on a passed ball thrown by Chicago starting pitcher Noah Schultz.

While Seattle was building its 3-0 lead, starting pitcher Bryan Woo was busy keeping the White Sox off the board.

The 2025 All-Star bounced back from a 25-pitch first inning in which he allowed a hit and issued two walks. Woo finished the game with eight strikeouts, two walks and three hits allowed in six innings pitched.

Monday was Woo's third consecutive quality start and third-straight game with eight or more strikeouts.

"I think the first inning, I don't know if it was trying to do too much. Just felt a little bit of mechanically and mentally," Woo said after the game. " ... The simpler I am, the simpler my thought process is, the better I am. So it took an inning for me to kind of narrow that down and get back to just competing."

Chicago's only run was a solo home run hit by outfielder Tristan Peters in the top of the seventh inning off M's reliever Eduard Bazardo.

The Mariners pulled to within one game of the Athletics for first place in the American League West and retook possession of the third American League wild card spot.

Seattle will look to clinch the series win in game two at 6:40 p.m. PT on Tuesday.

Bryce Miller will start for the Mariners and Anthony Kay will start for the White Sox.

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