Mariners Dominate Rangers 6-0 with Raleigh's 42nd Home Run

Cal Raleigh continued his impressive season, launching his 42nd home run, while rookie Cole Young also contributed with a homer, leading the Seattle Mariners to a commanding 6-0 victory against the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.

Raleigh's milestone blast came in the fifth inning, just two batters after Young hit his third home run of the year, extending Seattle's lead to 3-0.

Making his debut for the Mariners after being acquired from Arizona, Eguenio Suárez doubled against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker in the fourth inning. He later scored on a wild pitch, marking Seattle's first run of the game. Suárez previously played for the Mariners during the 2022-23 seasons.

In the sixth inning, J.P. Crawford added to the score with a single that brought in another run. Young then showcased his speed with an RBI triple and later crossed home plate on a passed ball.

George Kirby (6-5) delivered a stellar performance on the mound, allowing only three hits and two walks while striking out six batters over six innings.

Caleb Ferguson, who joined the team from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, made a strong debut by pitching a perfect seventh inning.

Trent Thornton faced an unfortunate incident, being carted off the field in the ninth due to an apparent lower left leg injury after pitching 1 2/3 innings. Casey Legumina stepped in to secure the final out, completing a four-hit shutout for Seattle.

Rocker (4-5) struggled against the Mariners, giving up three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.

The Rangers were missing third baseman Josh Jung due to left calf soreness, which added to their challenges during the game.

In a critical moment in the sixth inning, with the Rangers threatening by placing the tying runs on second and third with two outs, Kirby managed to escape the situation by inducing Adolis Garcia to fly out.

Raleigh's achievement set a new single-season record for home runs by a switch-hitting catcher, surpassing Todd Hundley's previous mark of 41 set with the New York Mets in 1996.

Looking ahead, Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter (7-6, 4.09 ERA) is set to face Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.36) in Friday's matchup.