SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Kansas City Royals built a four-run first inning, survived a seventh-inning tie and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth to beat the Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Friday night at T-Mobile Park.

Daniel Lynch IV earned his first win of the season, and Lucas Erceg recorded his eighth save as Kansas City improved to 13-19 before an announced crowd of 36,384. The game lasted 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Seattle fell to 16-17. The Mariners had won four of their previous five games entering Friday.

The Royals erupted against Seattle starter Cole Wilcox in the opening frame. Maikel Garcia singled, Bobby Witt Jr. singled, and Vinnie Pasquantino singled to right field. Garcia scored on the hit, and a throwing error by right fielder Connor Joe allowed Witt to reach third and Pasquantino to advance to second. Salvador Perez followed with a double, driving in both Witt and Pasquantino to make it 3-0. After a flyout and a groundout, Isaac Collins doubled to left field, scoring Perez and extending the lead to 4-0.

Seattle answered immediately in the bottom of the first. J.P. Crawford walked, and Julio Rodriguez crushed a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 4-2. But Mariners starter Wilcox settled in, retiring the Royals in order in the second and third innings.

Kansas City starter Cole Ragans worked through the early innings after the first. He allowed only a single to Josh Naylor in the fourth and struck out five over five innings. The Royals maintained their two-run lead into the fifth.

Connor Joe led off the bottom of the fifth with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field that brought Seattle within 4-3. Ragans escaped further damage by striking out Leo Rivas on a challenge confirmation, then retiring Crawford and walking Cal Raleigh before striking out Rodriguez.

The Royals answered in the top of the sixth. Pasquantino led off with a home run, his fourth of the year, pushing the lead to 5-3. After a strikeout and a flyout, Jac Caglianone hit his third home run of the season, a solo shot to right field that made it 6-3.

Seattle responded again in the bottom of the sixth. Randy Arozarena hit a solo home run, his third of the season, cutting the lead to 6-4. The Mariners loaded the bases on a walk and a lineout but failed to score.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Mariners tied the game. With one out, Crawford singled. Rodriguez then hit his second home run of the game and fourth of the season, a two-run shot to center field that evened the score at 6-6.

The Royals regained the lead in the top of the eighth. Perez led off with a double that deflected off center fielder Rodriguez. He advanced to third on a groundout, and Lane Thomas delivered a single to center field, scoring Perez and putting Kansas City ahead 7-6. Michael Massey followed with a single, but the rally stalled when Kyle Isbel grounded into a forceout.

Erceg entered for the save in the bottom of the ninth. He retired Leo Rivas on a popout, struck out Crawford and induced a popout from Cal Raleigh to end the game.

Lynch pitched one scoreless inning of relief to earn the victory. Jose A. Ferrer took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth. Erceg’s save was his eighth of the season.

Key performers for the Royals included Perez, who had two doubles and three RBIs; Pasquantino, who homered and drove in two runs; and Caglianone, who also homered. For the Mariners, Rodriguez homered twice and drove in four runs. Connor Joe homered and Arozarena also went deep.

Kansas City outhit Seattle 10-6. The Royals scored four runs in the first, two in the sixth and one in the eighth. The Mariners scored two in the first, one in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.

The Royals continue their series in Seattle on Saturday and Sunday before returning home to face Cleveland. The Mariners host Kansas City again Saturday and Sunday before welcoming Atlanta for three games.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Seattle 6, Kansas City 5. Interstat’s ELO system projected Seattle with a 59.80 percent probability to win. Seattle had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 13 went under the over-under line of 7.