Cal Raleigh became the first Major League Baseball player to reach the 40-home run mark this season with a tiebreaking solo shot in the sixth inning, helping the Seattle Mariners secure a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. The victory allowed Seattle to earn a split of the four-game series in Sunday’s finale.
The Mariners were slight road favorites with pregame moneyline odds near -115, while the Angels entered at approximately -105. The total runs over/under was set at 8.5, a mark the teams surpassed by the end of the sixth inning.
Raleigh’s home run, a 416-foot drive to right field off reliever José Fermin, broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. The catcher turned on a 97 mph fastball to give Seattle the lead for good, marking his second home run in eight games since winning the Home Run Derby. Raleigh is now just the seventh catcher in MLB history to reach 40 home runs in a single season, a feat previously accomplished only nine times, including twice each by Johnny Bench and Mike Piazza.
Seattle added to its lead later in the inning with a two-run single from Dominic Canzone and an unearned run scored by Jorge Polanco following a throwing error by Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo. The three-run frame widened the Mariners’ lead to 6-2, providing a comfortable cushion for the bullpen.
George Kirby earned the win for Seattle, improving to 5-5 on the year. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out nine. Kirby worked through several jams, including a key moment in the bottom of the sixth when he struck out Rengifo with the bases loaded to preserve Seattle’s lead. Despite not matching his 14-strikeout performance from a previous start at Angel Stadium, he recorded his fourth win in his last five outings.
Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena also contributed to Seattle’s offense with solo home runs. Rodríguez connected in the third inning for his 18th homer of the year and his fourth in three games at Angel Stadium. Arozarena followed with his 20th home run in the fourth inning, marking the fifth consecutive season he has reached that milestone.
The Angels received a home run from Taylor Ward, his 24th of the season, and had chances to rally but came up short in key moments. Starter Tyler Anderson allowed two runs on six hits but labored through 4.2 innings in a performance that added to his recent struggles. The left-hander has a 5.66 ERA over his last four starts and continues to be mentioned as a potential trade candidate. Another trade possibility, third baseman Yoán Moncada, exited the game after being hit on the hand by a pitch from Kirby. X-rays were negative.
The series concludes Sunday afternoon in Anaheim. The Angels will send Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 4.92 ERA) to the mound, while the Mariners counter with right-hander Logan Gilbert (3-3, 3.07 ERA).