Inside The Mariners

Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver Lead Seattle Mariners to 9-4 Win Over Chicago Cubs

The pair of catchers each had multiple home runs and Raleigh made MLB history to kick off the Mariners' road trip.
Teren Kowatsch|
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (right) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs on June 20 at Wrigley Field.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (right) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs on June 20 at Wrigley Field. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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The Seattle Mariners couldn't have began their 10-game road trip any better than it did Friday. The Mariners came back from down multiple runs and beat the Chicago Cubs 9-4 at Wrigley Field. The Mariners improved to 38-36 on the season with the victory, pulled within 4.5 games of the Houston Astros in the American League West and now stand in the final AL Wild Card spot.

"Heck of a ball game today," M's manager Dan Wilson said after the game. "I thought the way we swung the bat today was incredible. A lot of two-out hits, a lot of two-out runs. ... Some clutch-hitting at the same time. Getting runners on, creating some traffic but getting some big blows here at Wrigley."

Seattle earned the win in large part to a history-making day from catcher Cal Raleigh.

Raleigh hit two home runs Friday for a major league-leading 29 on the season. That mark passed Johnny Bench for the most in a single season by a catcher before the All-Star Break.

Both homers gave the Mariners a lead. His first was a solo shot in the top of the first inning that put Seattle in front 1-0. His second was a two-run shot in the top of the seventh that gave the Mariners a 6-4 lead.

After the game, Raleigh was serenaded by the M's fans who made their way to Chicago with "MVP" chants.

"Like I said earlier, any time you're mentioned even in the same sentence as one of the best, if not the best, to ever do it is obviously a special thing," Raleigh said. "Just very grateful. He was one heck of a player, and very happy about it."

Raleigh's backup and Seattle's designated hitter for Friday, Mitch Garver, had his own two-homer day.

Garver's first blast was a two-run shot that tied the game 4-4 in the top of the sixth. His second was a three-run shot in the top of the ninth inning that resulted in the eventual final of 9-4. Garver's second homer was the 100th of his career. He entered the game with one home run on the season.

"I never really expected to make it to the big leagues in the first place," Garver said after the game. "So, to reach 100 homers is pretty cool for me and my family. ... (The team) was yelling 'beer showers' and I said, 'heck yeah. I'll open a cart.' Never too old to have a little fun."

Garver's first home run marked the beginning of a multi-run comeback for the Mariners.

After Raleigh's solo homer in the top of the first, the Cubs put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Ian Happ hit a lead-off solo home run and Michael Busch followed with a two-RBI single to pull Chicago in front 3-1.

Donovan Solano, who had a 3-for-4 day, hit an RBI single in the top of the first to bring Seattle within one. Reese McGuire hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to bolster Chicago's lead to 4-2.

Garver, Raleigh and the rest of Seattle's lineup launched its comeback after Cubs starter Matthew Boyd was pulled.

Boyd's outing ended after the fifth inning when he caught a hard-hit line drive that briefly looked like it connected with his head. He finished the game with six strikeouts in five innings, walked two and allowed two earned runs on as many hits (one home run).

For comparison, Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby also pitched five innings, fanned three, walked one and allowed four earned runs on seven hits (two home runs).

Seattle's bullpen blanked the Cubs, struck out one, walked two and allowed one hit.

Chicago's bullpen allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits (three home runs), walked one and punched out five.

The Mariners will look to clinch the first series win of their 10-game road trip in Game 2 against the Cubs at 11:20 a.m. Saturday. Emerson Hancock will start for Seattle and Cad Horton will take the mound for Chicago.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

CAL RALEIGH MAKES MLB HISTORY IN GAME AGAINST CUBS: The Mariners Platinum Glove-winning catcher passed Hall of Famer Johnny Bench in an incredible statistic with his two-home run performance Friday. CLICK HERE

JACOB WILSON JOINS ICHIRO SUZUKI IN INCREDIBLE CATEGORY: Jacob Wilson has been swinging the bat well this season, and is now in a category of players that include the 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. CLICK HERE

PITCHING MATCHUPS FOR SERIES BETWEEN MARINERS, CUBS: The Mariners will begin the first set of their daunting 17 consecutive-game stretch Friday against the National League Central leaders. CLICK HERE

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Teren Kowatsch
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