SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his sixth career grand slam, George Kirby and three relievers combined for a three-hitter and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night.
The Mariners (51-50) are above .500 for the first time in nearly two weeks and moved a half-game ahead of Texas (50-50) atop the AL West.
In the seventh inning, Reds lefty Caleb Ferguson intentionally walked Dominic Canzone to load the bases for Raleigh, last year’s AL MVP runner-up. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Raleigh turned on a hanging breaking ball, sending it 408 feet into the left-field bleachers to make it 7-0.
It was the 10th home run this season for Raleigh, who is batting .163 after hitting 60 homers in 2025. He also knocked in a run with a groundout in the eighth to finish with five RBIs.
Kirby (8-8), who struck out six and walked one, needed only 80 pitches to get through six innings in his sixth straight quality start. Edwin Arroyo was the lone Reds hitter to advance past second base, and he was thrown out at home with ease by Mariners right fielder Victor Robles on a shallow flyball in the third.
Julio Rodríguez drove in a run with an infield single off Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott (5-6) to make it 1-0 in the fifth. Rodríguez hit a chopper to shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and his throw to first base was off line. Robles scored from third and Rodríguez reached safely, but he soon exited the game as a precaution.
Robles moved from right field to center after Rodríguez was removed. Weston Wilson, who entered for Rodríguez, made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the seventh.
Nick Davila, Cole Wilcox and Michael Rucker each pitched a hitless inning of relief for Seattle.
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford was a late scratch due to wrist soreness. Colt Emerson replaced him and hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to increase Seattle’s lead to 2-0.
Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suárez, who played parts of three seasons for the Mariners, was greeted with a standing ovation when he led off the second.
Up next
RHP Luis Castillo (3-8, 4.93 ERA) pitches Tuesday for Seattle in the middle game of the series against RHP Chase Burns (11-1, 2.54).
