Colt Emerson hits first big-league homer in Mariners 6-1 win over White Sox

May 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Colt Emerson (4) celebrates with fans after hitting a 3-run home run and his first MLB hit against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images We have a running joke around these parts about how the Mariners and White Sox are incapable of playing a normal game with one another, but tonight’s game really stretched the bit thin. At the end of it, though, the Mariners emerged with a 6-1 victory, shaking off the doldrums of their series sweep at the hands of the Padres this weekend with an electrifying finish.

The game didn’t start out seeming like it would be the vibes-changer it would grow into. Bryan Woo had a shaky first inning, fighting with his command and issuing two walks. Although he threw first pitch strikes to all five batters he faced, he then fell behind, needing 25 pitches to clear the inning and only throwing fourteen of them for strikes.

He got helped out by The First Weirdness of the evening: a truly bizarre TOOTBLAN where Sam Antonacci, who had led off the game with a hard-hit line drive single, attempted to steal third after Woo had issued a walk, apparently trying to catch the Mariners defense napping? But Woo and Colt Emerson were having none of that, no sir, cutting down Antonacci as he attempted to sneak into third. (Colt also made a nice play at third deep to the third-base line right after that, snapping off a quick throw to Cole Young to get the lead runner that I don’t think Leo Rivas makes.

Competent third-base defense! Perhaps I can finally take that photo of Ben Williamson off my mirror. ) After fighting through the first, Woo’s pitch count was saved by a lightning-fast second inning, needing just eight pitches to mow down the bottom of Chicago’s lineup.