SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners pulled back to even on the season and in the series against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

The Mariners (1-1) took the second of the four-game set 5-1.

George Kirby was on the mound for Seattle in his first start of the season. It was his first outing in March in two years. He missed the first two months of last season due to a right shoulder injury.

Kirby recorded the first quality start of the season for the Mariners. He struck out six batters in as many innings pitched, walked two, hit another and allowed one earned run on two hits (one home run).

"Super pumped for my first start here back in Seattle," Kirby said in a postgame interview Friday. "(Seeing) all the fans and everyone in the crowd was awesome. Looking forward to this day for a while. I wanted to get out of Arizona pretty badly. Glad we got the first win. A lot of good plays behind me that saved a lot of good things. ... Great win."

Kirby was able to string together his quality start despite multiple harrowing situations throughout the game.

Guardians rookie right fielder Chase DeLauter, who was coming off a two-home run performance on Opening Day, hit his third homer of the season (and major league career) in the top of the first inning. That solo shot comprised the only run of the game for Cleveland.

Kirby faced another hairy scenario in the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out.

Kirby walked the first two batters he faced and hit the fourth to juice the bases.

The 2023 All-Star forced a flyout from Cleveland lead-off hitter Steven Kwan that landed in Randy Arozarena's glove in shallow left field.

Guardians first baseman Rhys Hoskins chose to tag at third on the flyout and attempted to score. He was soundly beat on the throw home from Arozarena to catcher Cal Raleigh for the third and final out of the inning.

After getting out of the bases-loaded jam in the fifth, Kirby clinched the quality start and retired the side in order in the sixth. He finished his day having thrown 90 pitches, 57 for strikes.

"I think right now, the biggest thing for me is just to find a way to get back in control and stay in control," Kirby said. "Those runners out there in (the bases loaded situation) are the least of my worries. ... Just go out there, attack the hitter. These guys are on — flush it, get back in control and attack from there. I feel like I've made a big step in that side of my game."

Kirby's outing was bolstered with a timely hit from Mariners second baseman Cole Young.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth with two runners on, two outs and facing an 0-2 count — the second-year infielder connected for his first home run of the season.

Young's three-run, 367-foot home run to right field came on a 97-mile per hour fastball from Cleveland starter Gavin Williams and gave Seattle a 3-1 lead.

In addition to his go-ahead home run, Young made several solid plays at second base that prevented the Guardians from getting extra runners on.

"It's good," Young said after the game Friday. "It's nice to just keep putting in that work every single day. Working with (infield coach Perry Hill) every single day and just keep getting better. Just trying to stay locked in on both sides of the field."

The Mariners got the insurance policy they needed in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer from right fielder Luke Raley.

Raley's second homer in as many days traveled 390 feet to right field at 104.9 mph and resulted in the eventual final of 5-1.

The M's connected for just three hits Friday. They got extra runners on by drawing seven walks throughout the game, six from Guardians starter Gavin Williams.

Seattle's high-leverage right-handed relievers, Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash and closer Andres Munoz, blanked Cleveland for the final three innings.

The trio combined for three strikeouts, two hits allowed and no free bases.

"I think the bullpen, again tonight, threw the ball very well," M's manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. "Bazardo, Brash, to (Munoz). I thought all three of those guys threw the ball well, attacked the zone. This is what our team likes to do. This is how we play and tonight was a good ball game."

The Mariners will look to clinch a series split against the Guardians in Game 3 at 6:40 p.m. PT on Saturday.

Bryan Woo will start for Seattle and Joey Cantillo will start for Cleveland.

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