MINNEAPOLIS — Cal Raleigh emerged as a standout player for the Seattle Mariners by blasting his 32nd home run of the season, leading the team to an 11-2 triumph over the Minnesota Twins on Monday. Raleigh connected for a two-run homer to left field in the ninth inning, taking advantage of reliever Joey Wentz.
Julio Rodríguez and Luke Raley also contributed significantly to Seattle’s offense, each hitting home runs during a productive six-run third inning. Dominic Canzone, continuing his impressive display of power after hitting two homers on Sunday, added another long ball to the Mariners’ total. Meanwhile, pitcher Bryan Woo was solid on the mound, permitting two runs and recording nine strikeouts, marking his second consecutive start with a win.
The Twins showed some life when Brooks Lee, Trevor Larnach, and Carlos Correa each managed two hits. Larnach and Correa teamed up to hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning, although that was not enough to steer Minnesota from the brink of their 14th defeat in 17 games.
Minnesota’s starting pitcher, Bailey Ober, found himself in trouble during the third inning, surrendering six runs that became pivotal for Seattle. Rodríguez’s two-run homer and Raley’s three-run blast were crucial in this stretch. Despite these hiccups, Ober demonstrated resilience by limiting Seattle’s lineup to only two other baserunners and striking out seven over his seven-inning performance.
Rodríguez further cemented Seattle’s lead with a two-run double in the ninth inning, preceding Raleigh’s decisive home run.
The turning point in the game came when Ober was poised to close out the third inning while allowing only three runs. However, a fastball left over the plate was capitalized on by Raley, who launched it an estimated 436 feet to right-center, extending Seattle’s lead to 6-0.
Since injuries to starting pitchers Pablo López and Zebby Matthews in early June, the Twins’ pitching staff has struggled significantly, allowing an average of 7.8 runs per game over the last 17 contests, conceding a total of 133 runs.
Looking ahead, the series continues with a pitcher’s duel between seasoned right-handers, as Seattle’s Luis Castillo, holding a record of 4-5 with a 3.38 ERA, faces off against Chris Paddack of the Twins, who is 3-6 with a 4.48 ERA.