Cal Raleigh Hits 50 Homers as Mariners Beat Padres 9-6

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 50th homer, and Jorge Polanco drove in four runs, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 9-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

Raleigh’s milestone came in the first inning when he launched a drive off JP Sears, marking his third homer in just two games. The ball traveled 419 feet with an exit velocity of 107.2 mph. With this homer, Raleigh became only the second switch-hitter, alongside Mickey Mantle, to hit 50 homers in a season and the eighth player in MLB history to reach that mark in August.

In addition to Raleigh’s homer, Polanco also contributed significantly to the Mariners’ offensive effort. He made an impact in the fifth inning with a two-run double, extending Seattle’s lead.

J.P. Crawford had two hits and two RBIs, while Josh Naylor scored twice in the game, highlighting the Mariners’ strong performance amidst their push for the AL West title. With this win, Seattle is now just 1.5 games behind the idle Houston Astros.

The Padres also displayed power, with Fernando Tatís Jr., Gavin Sheets, Jake Cronenworth, and Ramón Laureano all hitting home runs. Tatís capped a four-run inning with a two-run drive, marking his 18th homer of the season and first since July 24.

Despite a strong start from Seattle’s Bryce Miller, who allowed four runs over five innings, the Mariners bounced back with a productive fifth inning against David Morgan after Sears was pulled.

Raleigh’s achievement places him among Mariners legends, standing beside Ken Griffey Jr., who hit 56 homers in back-to-back seasons in the late ’90s.

The two teams face off again on Tuesday, with San Diego’s Dylan Cease starting against Seattle’s Luis Castillo.