Naylor's Two HRs Power Mariners' Sweep of Astros

Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor hit his first two home runs of the season on Monday, powering a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros that completed a rare four-game sweep of the division rival.

Naylor, an eight-year veteran, entered the game struggling with a .102 batting average and two RBIs through the first three contests. Despite his reluctance, he incorporated a bigger leg kick into his swing for the first time to improve his timing. The adjustment paid off immediately, as he connected on a pair of homers in the win at T-Mobile Park.

"I just decided I was going to try a little leg kick today because, why not?" Naylor said. "What's the worst that can happen, I go 0 for 4 again? I've done that already, been there, done that type of thing."

His second homer, a 433-foot two-run shot to center field, stood as the longest by a Mariners player this season. Naylor celebrated by flipping his bat and then knocking it further into the air with his right hand. Data from Baseball Savant showed Naylor's hard-hit rate at 35.4 percent entering the game, surpassing teammate Cal Raleigh, who hit 60 homers last season, along with seven other Mariners players.