Color Scheme

Subscribe now
Seattle Mariners

Mariners Noon Number: Nelson Cruz hits M’s milestone

Seattle Mariners’ Nelson Cruz is congratulated after scoring against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Whitney Ogden whitneyo@spokesman.com(509) 481-1067

Nelson Cruz hit his 100th home run in an M’s jersey in Seattle’s 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night. Cruz smacked a solo homer over the Safeco Field wall in left-center to start off a five-run fifth inning.

It was Nelson’s 297th career homer and his 13th home run of the season. Cruz hit 44 home runs for the Mariners in 2015 and 43 last season.

Cruz reached 100 home runs in 362 games, the fastest by any player in Mariners history, ahead of Richie Sexson (463 games) and Alex Rodriguez (470 games).