The Mariners' bats came alive in the first of a seven-game road trip
The Seattle Mariners continued their momentum from a series win against the Atlanta Braves with a 12-8 win against the Chicago White Sox on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.
It was a refreshing change of pace to see the Mariners come on the right end of an offensive showcase. It also marked a career-best game for one of the more under looked hitters in the Mariners lineup.
Here's several takeaways from Seattle's win against Chicago on Friday.
The Luke Raley game
Mariners right fielder Luke Raley had a dominant showing at the plate against the White Sox. He went 2-for-5 with two runs and seven RBIs. Both of his hits were multi-run homers.
The first was a grand slam in the top of the third inning that gave Seattle a 5-1 lead.
The second of Raley's homers was a three-run shot in the top of the seventh that bolstered the Mariners' advantage to 9-5, which proved to be the necessary insurance runs Seattle needed in the victory.
Friday marked the first multi-homer game for Raley since April 30, 2023, when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. Ironically, that game also came against the White Sox.
Offense picks up Emerson Hancock
Friday's starting pitcher for the Mariners, Emerson Hancock, entered the game coming off the best start of his career. Against the Kansas City Royals on May 2, Hancock struck out a career-high 14 batters, didn't issue a free base and allowed one earned run on six hits in seven innings pitched.
Seattle lost the game 3-2.
On Friday against Chicago, Hancock fanned four batters, walked three hitters and allowed five earned runs on as many hits (one homer) in six innings pitched.
The offense wasn't able to reward Hancock's gem against the Royals. But the lineup was able to pick him up against the White Sox.
In addition to Raley's pair of homers, center fielder Julio Rodriguez hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the sixth inning that gave the M's a 6-5 lead.
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock throws during a game against the Chicago White Sox on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. | Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images.First baseman Josh Naylor capped off the Mariners' scoring with a three-run shot in the top of the eighth that bolstered the M's' lead to 12-5.
Seattle's lineup has been the most inconsistent unit on the team this season and it's an encouraging sign to see it pick up one of its starters when they struggle.
Mariners make up ground in cluttered American League
Entering Friday, there were only two teams in the American League that were two games or more above .500: the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, both AL East squads.
The Mariners entered Friday 1.5 games behind the Athletics for first in the AL West and were tied with the Detroit Tigers for the final two AL wild card spots.
Seattle was unable to surpass the A's, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Friday. However, the Mariners did take solo possession of the second wild card spot in the AL over the Detroit Tigers, who lost 4-3 to Kansas City on Friday.
As mentioned by ESPN insider Buster Olney in a recent appearance on the Refuse to Lose Territory podcast, given the cluttered state of the AL, Seattle only needs one good week to separate itself from the rest of the pack. Friday's win was a good step in that direction.
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