SEATTLE — Cal Raleigh delivered a crucial, go-ahead homer in the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park on Friday, lifting the Seattle Mariners to a tight 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The two-out, three-run blast came after back-to-back singles by J.P. Crawford and Cole Young, turning the tide for Seattle in front of 39,780 fans.
This key moment marked a turning point in the game and kept the Mariners firmly in the American League playoff hunt, as Raleigh’s go-ahead homer thrilled the crowd with chants of “MVP” following his swing.
Early Tampa Bay Advantage Hinged on Solo Home Runs
The Rays held the lead for most of the game thanks to solo home runs by their corner infielders. Brandon Lowe opened the scoring with a long solo shot to right field in the first inning, coming immediately after a disputed fly ball caught by Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone in foul territory was overturned on review.
In a remarkable play, Canzone caught the ball barehanded after it popped out of his glove, but the Rays successfully challenged the call, with replays showing the ball had bounced off the wall, resulting in a foul ball. The Rays then took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning when Junior Caminero connected on another solo homer down the left-field line, extending Tampa Bay’s advantage.
Strong Starting Pitching Performance from Castillo
Despite the two home runs allowed, Mariners starter Castillo put in a strong seven-inning outing, striking out five while giving up five hits on 99 pitches. His performance was vital, especially considering the Mariners’ bullpen was heavily used in the previous game’s 11-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Castillo credited a mental adjustment after noticing his pitch count rising early, which helped him improve his pace and effectiveness on the mound.
For me, in between innings, I kind of realized my (pitch) count went up with very few innings,
Castillo said through translator Freddy Llanos.
So, when I was in the dugout, I just kind of made that mentality switch of being a little more effective, being a little more fast-paced, not giving the batters as much time to think when we’re out there.
—Castillo, Mariners Starter
Relief Pitchers Hold the Line for Mariners
Following Castillo’s exit, Carlos Vargas took over in the eighth and retired the side in order, setting the stage for Cal Raleigh’s game-changing hit. In the ninth, Matt Brash entered to close out the game, striking out all three batters he faced to earn his second save of the season.
Brash’s command was especially impressive in navigating tough at-bats, including a seven-pitch duel against Josh Lowe and working around a 3-0 count against Junior Caminero.
(Brash has) been really good all year,
Raleigh said.
Credit to him, because it’s tough, that first year coming off Tommy John. He’s done a really good job, and tonight he was really good. He’s using all his pitches — sinker, (four-seam), sweeper and changeup. Was able to keep them off-balance.
—Cal Raleigh, Mariners Catcher
Fan Support Lifts Raleigh’s Performance
The go-ahead homer sparked loud cheers from the crowd and earned Raleigh chants of “MVP” as he rounded the bases. After the game, he acknowledged the fan support while emphasizing the importance of staying focused during pressure moments.
We had a lot of fans tonight, so that was awesome,
Raleigh said.
… I am a human, I do hear (the chants). But yeah, I’m just trying to focus on the task at hand. … I was just so excited I really didn’t hear them (while I was running the bases). I was just pumped up. That was a sweet go-ahead homer. Big spot. Those are the games you look back on at the end of the year, you’re like ‘that was a big one.’
—Cal Raleigh, Mariners Catcher
Playoff Position Tightens as Mariners Aim for Series Win
With this win, Seattle improved to 64-53 on the season, maintaining a strong position in the competitive American League playoff race. They remain just 1.5 games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West, one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the top Wild Card spot, and hold a 2.5-game edge over the New York Yankees for the second Wild Card position.
The Mariners look to add to their momentum as they prepare for Game 2 against Tampa Bay on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PT. Logan Evans is set to pitch for Seattle, while the Rays will start Joe Boyle. A series sweep would be Seattle’s third straight, further solidifying their playoff push.