Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied for a 7-6 victory against the host Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

The Red Sox trailed 6-1 through four innings before coming back to even the series at a game apiece.

Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning, striking out the side, to get the victory. Mariners right-hander Hunter Strickland (0-1), who got two saves as Seattle opened the season last week with a two-game series against Oakland in Japan, took over in the ninth with a chance for another save but lasted just one-third of an inning.

Rafael Devers led off the ninth with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a passed ball. Pinch-hitter Blake Swihart was then hit in the foot by a pitch, putting runners on the corners.

Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a chopper to Mariners first baseman Ryon Healy, who threw out Devers at the plate.

That set the stage for Moreland, who lined a 2-0 pitch over the right-field fence.

It was the fourth home run of the night for the Red Sox. Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez hit solo shots off Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi and Christian Vazquez went deep off reliever Zac Rosscup in the eighth to pull the Red Sox within 6-4.

Red Sox right-hander Matt Barnes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

The left-handed Kikuchi allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five. Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi, a right-hander, was tagged for six runs on eight hits in five innings, with two walks and three strikeouts.

Mallex Smith, Domingo Santana and Omar Narvaez hit solo home runs in the first two innings off Eovaldi.

The Mariners increased the lead to 6-1 with a three-run fourth. Tim Beckham led off with a double, moved to third on Narvaez's single and scored on a double by Healy. Dee Gordon and Smith then followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies.

--Field Level Media