SEATTLE — Despite not being in the starting lineup, Seattle Mariners designated hitter Cal Raleigh helped lead his team to a 2-1 victory against the New York Yankees in game one of a three-game series on Monday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

Raleigh was subbed in for Dominic Canzone (who subbed in earlier in the game for Rob Refsnyder) at the designated hitter spot batting second in the bottom of the seventh.

In Raleigh's second at-bat of the game in the bottom of the ninth, he connected for a walk-off RBI single that landed just inside the first-base line and brought home shortstop Leo Rivas from third.

"Just an outstanding ballgame tonight," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Monday. "Again, a chilly night, but so many things to talk about. So many positives. ... For Cal to go from a day off to getting into that game and then getting a couple (at-bats) and breaking it open there at the end to walk it off — feels really good to see that from Cal and I think this was a big win for us tonight."

Raleigh's hit gave the Mariners (3-2) a winning record for the first time this fledgling season and delivered the Yankees their first loss. It also rewarded a dominant night from the most experienced pitcher on the team's starting rotation.

Luis Castillo was on the mound for his first start of the season and managed to expertly navigate the high octane New York lineup.

Castillo threw six scoreless innings Monday. He fanned seven batters in his 95-pitch performance, issued two walks and allowed two hits.

"Quickly, (starting catcher Mitch Garver) and I realized the fastball was working," Castillo said after the game via translator Freddy Llanos. "We were putting it in a good location and we went to it a lot during the game." 

Castillo's seventh strikeout gave him 1,500 for his career.

Despite the accomplishment and recording the fourth consecutive quality start of the year for the M's, Castillo worked with a thin margin of error in his outing.

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Cole Young, who went 3-for-4 on the night, hit a two-out, broken-bat RBI single to right field.

That lead held through Castillo's outing. But the Yankees didn't stay quiet for the whole nine.

In the top of the seventh inning against Seattle left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer, New York first baseman Ben Rice got on base with a lead-off single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Rice moved to third on a force out hit by second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and was later brought home on an RBI single hit by third baseman Amed Rosario, who was pinch-hitting for Ryan McMahon.

The Mariners had opportunities to retake the lead before Raleigh's walk-off. Young was left on third and third baseman Brendan Donovan (2-for-4 on the night) was stranded at first in the bottom of the seventh.

The M's went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.

"The top (half of the lineup) probably hasn't had the results they wanted but the bottom half has picked us up and that's been huge for us," Raleigh said in a postgame interview. "Obviously Cole Young handles some good at-bats, Leo Rivas, Luke Raley, obviously (Donovan) at the top having great at-bats. There's going to be points in the year where it's flip-flopped but they're doing a great job for us right now."

In the bottom of the eighth, Garver was walked on four pitches with two outs but was left on base after right fielder Victor Robles grounded out.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rivas got on base with a lead-off single and advanced to third on a single hit from Donovan, which set Raleigh up for the go-ahead knock.

Seattle will try and earn its first series win against New York since May 21, 2024, in game two of the current set at 6:40 p.m. PT on Tuesday.

Logan Gilbert will start for the Mariners and Max Fried will start for the Yankees.

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