Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners Light Fireworks Early in 6-0 Win Against Pittsburgh Pirates

The Mariners lit up the scoreboard with a four-home run day to sink the Pirates on the Fourth of July.
Teren Kowatsch|
Seattle Mariners designated hitter Cal Raleigh runs after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 4 at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners designated hitter Cal Raleigh runs after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 4 at T-Mobile Park. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners lit the fireworks early against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the Fourth of July. The Mariners prevailed 6-0 off a four-home run day in the intraleague showdown, including two from designated hitter Cal Raleigh.

Seattle improved to 46-42 with the win, moved within 6.5 games of the Houston Astros in the American League West and pulled two games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels for the final AL Wild Card spot at the end of the game.

"Talked prior to the game about bouncing back, and boy did they ever bounce back today," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after the game. "Four homers, huge for us. Giving us a big lift offensively. ... Just a great afternoon of baseball here."

Friday's designated hitter, Cal Raleigh, lit off the first firework with a two-run homer to left field. It was his major league-leading 34th of the season and put Seattle in front 2-0. The 401-foot bomb had an exit velocity of 115.2 mph — the hardest-hit ball of Raleigh's career.

"It felt good," Raleigh said after the game. "I took advantage of a mistake. (Pirates starter Bailey Falter) is a good arm, and just tried to get on a heater in the middle of the plate and was able to take advantage."

Randy Arozarena had the Mariners' second home run of the day — a solo shot to right field to bolster the M's advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. It was his second opposite-field homer since being acquired by Seattle in a trade July 26, 2024, and his first since Aug. 26, 2024. His last opposite-field homer came against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Arozarena finished the game 2-for-4 with a run, a homer and an RBI.

Raleigh and Arozarena's early homers bolstered a solid day from starting pitcher Bryan Woo. For the 17th time in as many starts this season, the third-year pitcher went through the sixth inning. He tied Mark Langston for the second-most starts in franchise history of six or more innings to begin the season.

Woo finished with eight strikeouts, two walks and allowed three hits in six innings. It was his third-straight outing with eight or more strikeouts. He worked his way out of a jam in the first inning with two in scoring position and a bases-loaded situation in the fourth.

"I feel like it's more how I'm starting (the at-bats)," Woo said in a postgame interview. "I feel like I'm getting ahead much better, I feel like I'm in a good place. I'm not putting guys away right away off three, four pitches. But I'm in good counts, I'm getting ahead and then I kind of have some wiggle room to work with. Not making perfect pitches, but good pitches consistently. And that consistency kind of builds up."

The Mariners continued to tack on after Woo's day was done.

In the bottom of the sixth, to a chorus of "MVP" chants, Raleigh hit a solo home run to left field that increased Seattle's advantage to 4-0. It was Raleigh's 35th home run this season, which set a single-season career-high and brought him even with Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in franchise history before the All-Star Break. Raleigh finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs, two homers and three RBIs.

Dylan Moore, who's been in the middle of a rough stretch, including a 1-for-30 month in June, laced a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the seventh for the eventual final of 6-0.

The Mariners snapped the Pirates' six-game win streak and will look to clinch the series win at 7:10 p.m. PT on Saturday. Luis Castillo will start for Seattle and Mike Burrows will start for Pittsburgh.

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Teren Kowatsch
TEREN KOWATSCH

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