Cal Raleigh’s clutch blast gives M’s 3-2 win over Rays
Cal Raleigh hit a go-ahead, three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning in a Seattle Mariners comeback.
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With the Seattle Mariners facing perhaps their last good chance to overcome a two-run deficit late against the Tampa Bay Rays, none other Cal Raleigh came through with a game-changing blast.
The Mariners’ slugger broke out of his mini power slump in a major way Friday, clubbing a go-ahead, three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning off high-leverage Rays arm Griffin Jax to give Seattle a 3-2 win their series opener.
Jax, who has a devasting sweeper, tried to drop his breaking ball on the bottom of the strike zone to Raleigh, but that’s right in the catcher’s wheelhouse, and Raleigh mashed it 417 feet and well into the stands in right-center field.
It was Raleigh’s MLB-leading 43rd home run this season and his first since July 31. He entered the day 2 for 20 with 13 strikeouts and no extra-base hits in five games since the start of August.
The game-deciding moment was set up by one-out singles by J.P. Crawford and Cole Young. It was the only time the Mariners advanced a runner to second base during the game.
Matt Brash struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his second save of the season. Carlos Vargas (4-5) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
Mariners stater Luis Castillo pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five.
Puyallup native Drew Rasmussen allowed four hits and struck out four over six shutout innings for Tampa.
Seattle (64-53) remained 1 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West.
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