The M's toppled the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night at T-Mobile Park.
The Seattle Mariners earned a big win on Monday night, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 at T-Mobile Park.
With the win, the Mariners won their third straight game and moved back over .500 at 51-50. Furthermore, Seattle re-gained first place in the American League West, surging to 0.5 games ahead of the Texas Rangers.
Seattle got six excellent innings from George Kirby on the mound, as well as three scoreless innings from the bullpen. It also got clutch base hits from Julio Rodriguez and Weston Wilson, but the big blast was a grand slam in the seventh inning from Cal Raleigh.
For Raleigh, the grand slam was his 10th home run of the season. He's hitting just .163 in a trying campaign, but the hope is that the blast sparks him over the second half of the season.
Regardless of whether it does or doesn't, it did move him up an important list in team history. Raleigh now has 163 home runs in his career, which is tied with Nelson Cruz for the sixth-most in team history. It was also his sixth career grand slam.
Who is Raleigh behind on historic list?
Ken Griffey Jr. has the most homers in team history at 417 while Edgar Martinez is next at 309. Jay Buhner is third at 307 and Kyle Seager is fourth at 242.
Alex Rodriguez has the fifth spot at 189, and Raleigh could catch him in the 2027 season, presuming it's played because of labor unrest.
About Nelson Cruz
A 19-year veteran of the Rangers, Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, Cruz was one of the best sluggers of the 2010s. He hit 464 career home runs, averaging 37 a season.
In four years with the Mariners, he hit the 163 homers, registering 37 or more in each season. He led the American League in RBIs with 119 in 2017, and he made the All-Star team three times in those four years.
In total, he was a seven-time All-Star and a four-time Silver Slugger.
Up next for the Mariners
The Mariners will take on the Reds again on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. PT as the M's send Luis Castillo to the mound against All-Star Chase Burns.
Of note
The newest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast is out. You can listen here, or watch in the YouTube player below.
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