SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners find themselves in a place they haven’t been for more than two decades – standing alone atop their division with just 12 games to play.
Seattle Mariners 11, Los Angeles Angels 2: Box score | Standings
Cal Raleigh tied Mickey Mantle’s MLB record for switch-hitters with his 54th home run of the season, and the Mariners quickly made their series finale with the Los Angeles Angels a laugher as they coasted to 11-2 blowout at T-Mobile Park.
The Mariners have now won a season-high nine straight games.
With the win and loss by the Houston Astros, Seattle broke a tie for first place and moved one game in front in the American League West standings. It’s the latest the Mariners have been in sole possession of the division lead since 2001. They also extended their lead to three games over the third-place Texas Rangers, who fell Sunday. It was the first time Houston and Texas lost on the same day since Sept. 2.
Mariners move ahead of Astros for sole possession of AL West lead
The Mariners and Astros start a three-game series Friday in Houston that will determine who owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The season series is currently tied at 5-5.
Raleigh’s record-tying blast in the first inning put Seattle in front 2-0, and it was all Mariners from the rest of the way.
Seattle tacked on three more in the third inning and sent 11 batters to the plate during a six-run fourth inning that featured four different Mariners driving in runs.
Dominic Canzone had three hits and three RBIs, Josh Naylor drove in three during a two-hit day and Julio Rodríguez doubled twice and drove in two.
Jorge Polanco hit three doubles to tie Jim Presley’s franchise record of seven consecutive games with a double.
Mariners starter George Kirby was perfect through 4 1/3 innings before surrendering a one-out solo shot to Christian Moore in the fifth. The right-hander earned the win in a bounce-back performance, allowing just the two runs and three hits while tying his career high with strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
Kirby was coming of back-to-back rough outings in which he combined to allow 11 runs (10 earned) over six innings, including a two-inning start Sept. 3 that was his shortest over four major league seasons.
Kirby improved to 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA and 37 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings in three starts against the Angels this season.
Up next
The Mariners start their final road trip of the season with a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals starting Tuesday. Right-hander Logan Gilbert (4-6 record, 3.54 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Seattle. Kansas City’s starter has yet to be determined.
More Seattle Mariners coverage
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• Unheralded reliever the “glue” for Seattle Mariners’ bullpen
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