SEATTLE MARINERS

Mariners’ 21-year playoff wait ends on Raleigh’s walk-off HR

Sep 30, 2022, 10:45 PM | Updated: 11:57 pm

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 30: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on September 30, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. With the win, the Seattle Mariners have clinched a postseason appearance for the first time  in 21 years, the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 30: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on September 30, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. With the win, the Seattle Mariners have clinched a postseason appearance for the first time  in 21 years, the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 30: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on September 30, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. With the win, the Seattle Mariners have clinched a postseason appearance for the first time  in 21 years, the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 30: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on September 30, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. With the win, the Seattle Mariners have clinched a postseason appearance for the first time  in 21 years, the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) 
              Seattle Mariners' Ty France hits an RBI double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners' Carlos Santana reacts after hitting a double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais, left, and Eugenio Suarez embrace after the team's baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. The Mariners won 2-1 to clinch a spot in the playoffs. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners including Jesse Winker, left; Ty France, third from right; Logan Gilbert, second from right; and Adam Frazier, right celebrate a home run by Cal Raleigh in ninth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. The Mariners won 2-1 to clinch a spot in the playoffs. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez celebrates on the field after the team's baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. The Mariners won 2-1 to clinch a spot in the playoffs. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners' Ty France hits an RBI double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners' Carlos Santana reacts after hitting a double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners Dylan Moore is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he scored against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
            
              Seattle Mariners starter Logan Gilbert delivers a pitch during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

SEATTLE (AP) – More than an hour after Cal Raleigh ended the longest playoff drought in baseball, he was back on the field with his teammates, circling the perimeter of the field to acknowledge the tens of thousands of fans who still stuck around.

Mariners 2, Athletics 1: Box score

The celebration was more akin to winning something big in October, rather than a victory on the last day of September. But after 21 years, the Seattle Mariners could be excused for going a little over the top upon their return to the playoffs.

“It’s better than maybe what you could dream it to be,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Raleigh hit a game-winning home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Mariners clinched a wild-card berth in the American League with a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

‘The craziest thing ever’: M’s end drought, party is on

Raleigh, pinch-hitting for Luis Torrens, hit a 3-2 pitch from Domingo Acevedo (3-4) just inside the right-field foul pole for a solo homer that sent the Mariners to the postseason for the first time since 2001.

“I remember the moment when I knew it was fair and looking at the team and everybody’s jumping. It was just crazy,” Raleigh said.

Seattle’s celebration on the field lasted more than 10 minutes as fans and players lifted themselves from the burden of two decades without seeing playoffs from their baseball team.

That was just the start.

Nearly an hour later, and with the stands still mostly full, Servais and his team were back on the field after a wild clubhouse celebration. He grabbed the microphone and reminded the crowd — colorfully — that when he arrived along with President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto seven years ago, the mission was to “end the … drought.”

“We did it. These players behind me are special. They care. They care about winning the right way. They care about representing the city of Seattle,” Servais told the crowd.

It indeed had been a long wait — the last time the Mariners advanced to the postseason, the team was led by rookie Ichiro Suzuki and Edgar Martinez and managed by Lou Piniella.

As has been the case for most of this season with the Mariners, their 86th win and the one that sent them back to the playoffs happened in the most stressful way possible. Seattle was unable to solve Oakland starter Ken Waldichuk and an assembly line of relievers for eight innings, held only to Ty France’s RBI double that scored Dylan Moore two batters into the game.

Acevedo struck out Mitch Haniger and Carlos Santana to open the ninth, but Raleigh came through with his 26th home run of the season, the most ever by a Seattle catcher.

“It’s not really a pressure moment,” Raleigh said. “We’re having fun. We’re playing baseball. That’s the way I look at it. And I think that’s the mentality you got to have.”

Aside from the clinching a spot in the postseason, Seattle stayed 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the top wild-card spot and one half-game ahead of Tampa Bay as the three continue to jockey for seeding.

But the place in the standings didn’t matter on this night. It was all about punching the final AL ticket and ending two decades without the guarantee of playoff baseball.

Seattle’s berth ended the longest active playoff drought in any of the four major professional sports, a dubious honor that now falls to the Sacramento Kings, who have not made the NBA playoffs since the 2005-06 season. The Mariners are still the only current team never to have played in the World Series.

The last time the Mariners reached the postseason they tied a major league record by winning 116 games in the regular season, but lost to the Yankees 3-1 in the AL Championship Series.

Seattle’s Logan Gilbert threw a career-high eight innings, allowing three hits. His only mistake was a home run by Shea Langeliers in the second inning.

Gilbert retired 18 of the final 20 batters he faced and set down the A’s in order in each of his final four innings. Seth Brown walked leading of the seventh but was retired on a double play.

Gilbert struck out four and walked off the mound after the eighth to a standing ovation and the plea from fans for a run.

Matt Brash (4-4) struck out a pair in the ninth and set the stage for Raleigh.

“It was crazy. I mean, I haven’t been in Seattle but a few years but I feel like I’m one of the fans that have waited for 21 years,” Gilbert said. “It was just a culmination of a lot of waiting.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: OF Julio Rodríguez remains on track to return Monday when he’s eligible to come off the injured list due to a lower back strain. Rodriguez continued to increase his baseball activity on Friday, manager Scott Servais said.

AWARD SEASON

The Seattle chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America presented its year end awards before the game. Rodríguez was voted player of the year. Gilbert was voted pitcher of the year. And Eugenio Suárez received the Unsung Award for his performance on the field and leadership in the clubhouse.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP JP Sears (6-3, 4.22) makes his 12th start of the season and ninth since joining the A’s. Sears is 3-3 with a 5.36 ERA in his starts with Oakland, but beat the Mariners on Sept. 20 allowing one unearned run in five innings.

Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (7-6, 3.06) looks to rebound from two subpar starts. Castillo allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings on Sept. 20 in a loss to Oakland and gave up five earned runs in his last start against Kansas City.

Fann: What Mariners making the playoffs, ending drought means to me

Mariners Roof Report

Brought to you by
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
High 52° | Low 42°
No game today.

Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriguez...

Brandon Gustafson

Mariners Notebook: ‘Consistent pressure’ theme for lineup in 2024

Scott Servais expects big things from the Seattle Mariners' lineup in 2024, as he shared ahead of their opener against the Boston Red Sox.

2 hours ago

Seattle Mariners lineup Julio Rodríguez...

Brent Stecker

See the first Mariners lineup of 2024 for opening day vs Red Sox

The Seattle Mariners' batting order for opening day of the 2024 MLB season against Boston showcases an improved amount of length.

4 hours ago

baseball movie Kevin Costner Field of Dreams...

Brent Stecker

Top 10: Who are the best baseball movie actors of all-time?

To determine the top 10 actors of baseball movie history, we limit the list to those who acted in as least two baseball movies.

5 hours ago

Seattle Mariners roster J.P. Crawford...

Brent Stecker

Seattle Mariners announce opening day 26-man roster

The Seattle Mariners have announced their 26-man roster for opening day of the 2024 season as well as players starting on the IL.

8 hours ago

Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh...

Shannon Drayer

Mariners’ young core, now veterans, fueled by last year’s letdown

Falling back can be a part of growing up, and for the once young core of the Seattle Mariners, it is now part of their DNA.

9 hours ago

Seattle Mariners Mitch Haniger...

Mike Salk

Salk: Scars remain as Mariners return, but hope isn’t far away

As the Seattle Mariners return for 2024, Seattle Sports' Mike Salk writes about seasons, scars, frustration, hope and baseball.

23 hours ago

Mariners’ 21-year playoff wait ends on Raleigh’s walk-off HR