3 Up, 3 Down: Cal Raleigh Brings It Around Town as Mariners Defeat Athletics, 8-6

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Mariners
By Ty Dane Gonzalez | Last updated 7/1/22

For the second game in a row, the Mariners received an underwhelming performance from their starting pitcher and still managed to win in relatively comfortable fashion.

Their bats were alive and well, rattling off eight runs on nine hits against Athletics pitching to secure an 8-6 win in Thursday's four-game series opener. There was a little bit of everything as well, from a 416-foot blast to dead center to a little league home run that plated three, making for an extra-fun Pride Night at T-Mobile Park.

Let's go over Seattle's three best and worst individual performances from the evening.

3 Up

RHP Andrés Muñoz

After right-handed starter Logan Gilbert allowed the Athletics' first two hitters of the seventh inning to get into scoring position, Muñoz was called upon to protect an 8-4 lead. Eclipsing 100 MPH on the radar gun six times, the hard-throwing reliever induced a short pop up in foul territory, struck out centerfielder Ramón Laureano on a nasty slider and forced an inning-ending groundout to keep both inherited runners from scoring. This proved to be a critical moment in the game as Oakland went on to drive in a run apiece in the eighth and ninth.

C Cal Raleigh

On the heels of a lackluster two-game stretch, Raleigh got back to business at the dish. He nearly went yard in his first at-bat, going 405 feet to deep right-center field for a long and loud out, but his bid for a four-bagger would finally be answered during his third trip to the batter's box—just not in a very traditional (or technical) way. Driving in two with what will go down as his first career triple in the fifth inning, Raleigh added a third run to the board after advancing home on a throwing error by A's second baseman Nick Allen. There really is nothing quite like watching a man nicknamed "Big Dumper" rumble around the base paths for an old-fashioned little league home run. He also later added a double in the eighth to cap off a strong 2 for 4 night in the win.

OF Julio Rodríguez

Rodríguez put an exclamation point on his bid to win back-to-back American League Rookie of the Month honors, hitting his seventh home run in June and 13th on the year. It was one of his most impressive bombs to date, coming on a sinker on the outside corner of the plate, which he sent 416 feet to straightaway center at an exit velocity of 106.1 MPH. Ridiculous power.

3 Down

RHP Logan Gilbert

Gilbert was fortunate the offense was able to pick up the load in this one. He was playing with fire for most of the night, missing badly at times with his fastball and serving up a whopping 10 hard-hit balls, including a three-run blast to Laureano that tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth. He pitched a clean sixth and went back out for the seventh with a four-run lead, but left after allowing the first two batters he faced to work their way into scoring position, highlighted by a poor throwing decision that allowed Allen to claim two bases on a swinging bunt. At the very least, he was able to exit with his head still firmly attached to his shoulders.

3B Eugenio Suárez

It was an unproductive night for Suárez, who went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts and a walk. He was one of two of the Mariners' starting nine hitters to not record a hit.

RF Sam Haggerty

The other hitless Mariners starter was Haggerty. Like Suárez, he went 0 for 3 and struck out once following a 3 for 3 performance in Wednesday's win over the Orioles.