DENVER -- The temperature at first pitch for the Mariners’ series opener against the Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday night was 33 degrees, making it the second-coldest game in franchise history.

Snow flurries steadily blew through the Rocky Mountain air a day after the originally scheduled opener between these clubs was postponed due to inclement weather, to be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Sunday.

But none of that bothered Luis Castillo.

The veteran right-hander looked much more like himself in the trying Colorado conditions after losing six straight starts dating back to last year. He threw seven scoreless innings, limiting the Rockies to two hits -- one of them a popup that fell to the ground when first baseman Ty France lost it in the snowfall -- while walking one and striking out nine in a 7-0 win, the Mariners’ fourth in a row.

“Sometimes, it’s just mind over matter,” manager Scott Servais said about Castillo’s brilliant outing in the wintry climate. “And ‘the Rock’ was ready. … He is the warmest guy in the ballpark the way he was throwing.”

For Seattle, it was also comforting on a frigid night to see their ace return to form after opening the season with a 5.82 ERA over his first four starts.

“You saw it last outing, he was getting there,” catcher Cal Raleigh said. “Everybody has their time, and his just happened to be the start of the season. He’s the least of our worries.”

The worries that the Mariners had a week ago seemed as far away on Saturday as Seattle, where the temperatures were in the 70s under bright sunshine. Not only was Castillo hot; so were the Mariners’ bats.

An offense that averaged 3.1 runs per game over its first 16 contests has scored 24 over its past four after Saturday’s seven-run, 15-hit performance. Raleigh led the charge with a career-high four hits, including his fourth home run of the season in the second inning. Adding his fifth-inning walk, he became the first Mariners catcher to have four hits and reach base five times in the same game since Dan Wilson on June 11, 1996, against the Twins.

Meanwhile, Julio Rodríguez continued to emerge from his early-season doldrums, going 4-for-5 with four singles, two steals and a pair of RBIs. It was the third time in his career that he had at least four hits and two steals in a game, and over his last three games, he’s 8-for-15. Rookie Jonatan Clase went 2-for-5 with two singles and two RBIs of his own.

The Mariners entered Saturday with a 28.5% strikeout rate, the highest in the Majors. They struck out only three times in the win over Colorado, knocking out Rockies starter Dakota Hudson with no outs in the fifth. It’s the third time in the last four games that Seattle’s lineup knocked out the opposing starter before he could get through five frames.

“It’s kind of [committing to] what we want to do to the [opposing starter], not what he’s trying to do to us,” Raleigh said. “I think it all stems from that and what you’re looking for, and not chasing in all four quadrants of the zone; we’re only chasing in the one or the two, and kind of making him come to you.”

For Castillo’s part, he was coming right at the Rockies with primarily a fastball-slider mix. They just couldn’t hit him. Entering the game, opponents were batting .276 this season against Castillo in two-strike counts. On Saturday, he was able to put opponents away like he has in the past.

“I think everything is where I want it,” Castillo said through an interpreter. “Having the control, being able to locate where I wanted. All of that together was why I was able to get the results I got today.”

Castillo is from the Dominican Republic, and prior to Saturday night, he had never pitched in a game this cold. But since the Mariners are now 2-0 in snow games during their history (joining April 17, 1997, at Detroit), perhaps a few more of these wouldn’t be so bad.

“If we keep getting these results,” Castillo said, “I hope it’s cold all year.”