Baseball

Cal Raleigh homers twice as Mariners beat Angels

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2022; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium.

Reuters

11:24 JST, August 18, 2022

Cal Raleigh homered twice and Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker also went deep as the Seattle Mariners completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with an 11-7 victory Wednesday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs to third on an RBI triple against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium.

The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, the reigning American League MVP, hit a two-run shot to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning. Ohtani, who also had a triple, went 4-for-5 with four RBIs.

The Mariners, who lead the AL’s wild-card race, improved to 4-2 on their nine-game trip, which concludes with three games at last-place Oakland starting Friday.

Right-hander George Kirby (5-3) got the victory, allowing three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. The rookie walked one and struck out seven.

Angels right-hander Touki Toussaint (1-1), like Kirby a former first-round draft pick, took the loss. Toussaint gave up four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings, with four walks and three strikeouts.

Raleigh hit a solo shot in the fifth inning to give the Mariners a 7-1 lead and added a two-run homer in the ninth. His 18 home runs this season are the most in the majors by a catcher.

The Mariners broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the third, thanks in large part to three walks, one to J.P. Crawford with the bases loaded, and a hit batter. Mitch Haniger hit a run-scoring single and Carlos Santana added a two-run single.

The Angels got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Andrew Velazquez led off with a single, stole second and scored on David Fletcher’s bloop single down the right-field line.

Haniger led off the fifth with a single and Suarez followed with a two-run homer to right-center, his team-leading 20th of the season. Two outs later, Raleigh went deep.

The Angels put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning. Magneuris Sierra singled, took second on an error and, after Fletcher was hit by a pitch, Ohtani hit a run-scoring single and Luis Rengifo made it 7-3 with a double.

After Frazier led off the sixth with a single, One out later, Winker hit a two-run shot to right to extend the lead. It was Winker’s 13th blast of the season.

Fletcher led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and scored on Ohtani’s triple. Taylor Ward’s one-out sacrifice fly made it 9-5.