SEATTLE (Interstat) — A three-run homer from rookie second baseman Cole Young and a dominant six-inning start from George Kirby powered the Seattle Mariners to a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night at T-Mobile Park, leveling the early-season series.

A crowd of 36,987 watched as the Mariners, held hitless through the first three innings, erupted for all their runs on just two swings to even their record at 1-1. The Guardians also moved to 1-1.

The most important part of the game arrived in the bottom of the fourth inning, transforming a pitcher’s duel into a Seattle advantage it would not relinquish. For three frames, Cleveland’s Gavin Williams matched Kirby zero for zero after surrendering a solo home run in the first. But Williams’ command wavered in the fourth. He issued a one-out walk to Randy Arozarena, who then stole second. After Luke Raley struck out, Williams walked Dominic Canzone on five pitches to bring Young to the plate with two on and two out.

Young, playing in just his second major league game, worked the count to 2-1 before driving a fastball deep to right-center field. The ball cleared the wall for a three-run homer, Young’s first in the majors, abruptly turning a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead. The hit was one of only three the Mariners would manage all night, but it proved decisive.

Kirby, the winning pitcher, was the story for Seattle. He efficiently contained the Guardians after a rocky start, allowing one run on two hits over six innings while striking out six and walking none. The lone damage against him came on the game’s second pitch, when Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter launched a solo home run to right-center. Kirby then retired 15 of the next 17 batters he faced, stifling any further rallies.

The Mariners added insurance in the sixth against Cleveland reliever Colin Holderman. Arozarena worked a leadoff walk, and Raley followed by crushing a first-pitch fastball over the right-field fence for a two-run homer, extending the lead to 5-1.

Williams took the loss for Cleveland, charged with three runs on two hits over five innings. He struck out seven but was undone by the two fourth-inning walks that preceded Young’s homer. Guardians reliever Peyton Pallette provided two scoreless innings of hitless relief, but the offense could not mount a comeback against Seattle’s bullpen.

Cleveland’s best chance to answer came in the top of the fifth. After Kirby issued his only two walks of the night to Rhys Hoskins and CJ Kayfus, Gabriel Arias grounded out to advance both runners into scoring position. Brayan Rocchio was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Steven Kwan followed with a fly ball to medium-depth left field. Arozarena made the catch and fired a perfect one-hop strike to catcher Cal Raleigh, who tagged out Hoskins trying to score from third to complete an inning-ending double play, snuffing out the Guardians’ last serious threat.

Seattle’s bullpen sealed the win with three scoreless innings. Matt Brash, Andrés Muñoz and Eduard Bazardo each worked a frame, combining to allow just two hits while striking out three. Muñoz struck out two in a dominant eighth.

The Guardians, who out-hit the Mariners 4-3, went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. DeLauter’s first-inning homer accounted for their only run.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-0 Cleveland victory. However, Seattle’s win aligned with the statistical service’s ELO system, which gave the Mariners a 55.9 percent probability to win. The combined six runs went under the posted over/under line of 7.5.

The two teams continue their four-game series Saturday at T-Mobile Park.