The Seattle Mariners staged a celebration two dozen years in the making Wednesday night — and their leading man crashed a party of his own.
Cal Raleigh homered with his first and last swings in a 9-2 rout of the Colorado Rockies, joining a trio of New York Yankees — Babe Ruth, Roger Maris and Aaron Judge – as only the fourth player in American League history to smash 60 home runs in a season.
In the process, the Mariners clinched their first American League West crown since 2001, officially dethroning Houston after seven consecutive full-season division titles for the Astros.
“I don’t know what to say, I’m just so happy,” Raleigh told Angie Mentink on the Mariners’ telecast, after teammates doused him with water – twice. “I love this team. I love this city. I love my parents, thank you for being here. I’m just so happy for our guys. We’re gonna celebrate tonight, and like I said, we’re not done yet.”
Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco connected in the first inning, with Raleigh launching his 59th homer in style. Batting left-handed against Rockies righty Tanner Gordon, Raleigh torched a fastball into the first row of the third deck at T-Mobile Park, a level only seven others have ever reached.
Raleigh, who also lashed a two-run double in the second, drilled No. 60 in the eighth inning with a liner into the right field seats off righty Angel Chivilli. It was another milestone moment for Raleigh, who has already set single-season home run records for a catcher, a switch hitter and a Mariner.
The Mariners won for the 16th time in their last 17 games, and another victory Thursday would clinch a first-round bye and home-field advantage in a division series. At 89-69, Seattle stands just one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays and the Yankees in the race for the AL’s best record, though both Toronto and New York own tiebreakers.
Playing at home could be especially important for the Mariners, who pitch much better in Seattle and have never been this hot at home. Seattle has won 22 of its last 25 games at T-Mobile Park, the best 25-game home stretch in franchise history.
(Photo: Stephen Brashear / Imagn Images)