Cal Raleigh matched Mickey Mantle’s long-standing record for home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season. On Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park, he hit his 54th of the year to help the Seattle Mariners to an 11-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. The win extended Seattle’s winning streak to nine games and gave the club sole possession of first place in the American League West for the first time since early June.
Oddsmakers had the Mariners heavily favored entering the contest, with Seattle at -185 on the moneyline and Los Angeles at +160. The run total was 8.5, a figure the teams surpassed comfortably with 13 combined runs.
The game was highlighted by Raleigh’s first-inning home run, a drive to left-center off Angels starter Kyle Hendricks. The blast provided a quick 2-0 lead and moved Raleigh into a tie with Mantle, who set the record with the New York Yankees in 1961. The homer was also Raleigh’s 43rd of the season as a catcher, surpassing Javy López’s 2003 mark of 42 for the most in a single season by a player at that position.
Seattle continued its offensive surge against Hendricks, who struggled through 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander allowed nine runs on 10 hits and fell to 7-10 on the season. The Mariners’ lineup consistently found success, with Jorge Polanco recording three doubles. Polanco has now doubled in seven consecutive games, tying the franchise record for longest such streak.
George Kirby provided strength on the mound for Seattle, striking out 14 batters to match his career high. The right-hander worked 6 1/3 innings, yielding two runs on three hits without issuing a walk. Kirby has produced 36 career outings of at least six innings without a walk, underscoring his consistent command. He improved his record to 9-7.
The Angels managed two solo home runs, one from Christian Moore and Oswald Peraza, but their offense was quiet against Kirby and the Mariners’ bullpen. Rookie Denzer Guzmán collected his first two major league hits, offering a bright spot for Los Angeles in an otherwise one-sided contest.
Seattle has now won 20 of its last 23 home games and sits at 82-68, one game ahead of Houston, which dropped to 81-69. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Mariners’ current nine-game streak is their longest since a 14-game stretch in July 2022. The team had not held sole possession of the division lead since June 2.
Third baseman Yoán Moncada exited the game in the fifth inning with a sore left ankle, though the team did not provide further details on the severity of the injury.
On Tuesday, the Mariners will continue their push in the division race when right-hander Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.54 ERA) starts against the Kansas City Royals. Kansas City is scheduled to counter with right-hander Michael Wacha (9-11, 3.45 ERA). The Angels will head to Milwaukee for a series beginning the same day, with rookie right-hander Caden Dana (4-2, 6.32 ERA) facing Brewers starter Freddy Peralta (16-6, 2.69 ERA).
