Seattle baseball fans are on cloud nine—and for good reason. The Seattle Mariners have just wrapped up a sensational weekend sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, pushing their win streak to a remarkable nine games and seizing sole possession of the American League West lead for the first time since early June. The energy at T-Mobile Park has been electric, with historic feats, clutch performances, and a team firing on all cylinders as the postseason approaches.
The action began on Friday night, when Mitch Garver delivered the decisive blow. With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Garver turned on a high fastball from Angels reliever Connor Brogdon and launched it into the left-field seats for his ninth home run of the season. That solo shot proved to be the difference, as the Mariners edged the Angels 2-1 for their seventh straight victory. The bullpen locked it down from there, with Andrés Muñoz notching his 35th save of the year. But the win was about more than just Garver’s heroics. Jorge Polanco, down to his final strike in the fourth, ripped an RBI double to plate Cal Raleigh, and right fielder Victor Robles made a spectacular catch in the sixth to rob Taylor Ward of a potential two-run double. Polanco’s double marked his fifth straight game with a two-bagger, tying the longest active streak in the majors and matching a Mariners record that had stood since 2004.
Saturday night brought even more fireworks. Bryan Woo, the Mariners’ emerging ace, struck out a career-high 13 batters over six innings, allowing just three hits and two runs. Woo’s command was evident as he retired 13 straight Angels after a rocky second inning. J.P. Crawford provided the offensive spark, launching his 10th home run of the season in the fourth to put Seattle ahead for good. Polanco continued his torrid pace with a two-run double in the first, extending his extra-base hit streak to eight games—the longest by any Mariner this season. Josh Naylor added a two-run single in the fifth, stretching Seattle’s lead to 5-2. Matt Brash closed things out in the ninth for his fourth save, despite a solo homer from Taylor Ward. With the win, the Mariners matched their longest winning streak of the season and remained in a dead heat with the Houston Astros atop the AL West.
Sunday, however, was a day for the history books. Cal Raleigh, the Mariners’ All-Star catcher, stepped to the plate in the first inning and crushed a first-pitch fastball from Kyle Hendricks over the left-center field wall. The blast was Raleigh’s 54th home run as a switch hitter this season, tying the legendary Mickey Mantle’s 1961 record—a mark that had stood unchallenged for over six decades. Raleigh’s homer was also his 43rd as a catcher, setting a new MLB single-season record and surpassing Javy López’s 2003 tally. Raleigh’s achievement drew national attention, but the 28-year-old remained focused on the team’s larger goals. “You know, in today’s age it’s hard not to go on your phone and people are talking about it, texting you about it,” Raleigh told ESPN. “I’m trying to do my best to block that out. I’m glad that we have something bigger to work towards.”
Manager Dan Wilson was effusive in his praise for Raleigh, saying, “To do what he has done offensively, to do what he does defensively, to do what he does with our pitching staff, you just marvel at all the things that he’s accomplishing. On top of that, making history, and just in a very humble way, that’s the kind of guy he is. He just wants to win, and that’s where it all comes from. That’s the driver.” Raleigh is now just two home runs shy of tying Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners single-season record—a milestone that would further cement his place in franchise lore.
The Sunday finale was a rout, with the Mariners pounding out 11 runs on 14 hits. Jorge Polanco was once again a force, collecting three doubles to extend his doubles streak to seven games and tie another Mariners record. George Kirby, meanwhile, was untouchable on the mound, matching his career high with 14 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Kirby did not issue a single walk, and his 36th outing of at least six innings with no walks underscored his remarkable consistency. Kirby has now struck out 14 Angels in a game twice this season, a testament to his dominance over the division rivals.
Other notable performances included Denzer Guzmán’s first two major league hits for the Angels, and solo home runs from Christian Moore and Oswald Peraza. Mariners third baseman Yoán Moncada exited in the fifth inning with a sore left ankle, a development the team will monitor ahead of their upcoming series. Despite these small setbacks, the Mariners’ momentum is undeniable.
With the sweep, Seattle improved to 82-68, moving one game ahead of the Astros (81-69) in the AL West standings. The Mariners have won 20 of their last 23 home games and are riding their longest win streak since a 14-game run in July 2022. The atmosphere in the clubhouse is one of cautious optimism. Raleigh, ever the team player, emphasized that he’s not chasing records for their own sake: “I don’t mean to downplay [the record] at all; it’s a very awesome and meaningful thing… But I’m not trying to go out there and try to hit homers or trying to break a certain record or anything. I’m just trying to help the team out any way I can.”
Looking ahead, the Mariners will send right-hander Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.54 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday as they open a road series against the Kansas City Royals, who will counter with Michael Wacha (9-11, 3.45 ERA). With the postseason race heating up and the AL West crown within reach, every game takes on added significance.
As the dust settles on an unforgettable weekend, Mariners fans can savor the moment. Their team is surging, records are falling, and the dream of October baseball feels more real than ever. The next chapter in this remarkable season awaits in Kansas City, where Seattle will aim to keep the magic alive and extend their historic run.
