On a chilly Tuesday night at Seattle's T-Mobile Park, the Seattle Mariners delivered a resounding statement with an 8-0 shutout over the Boston Red Sox, snapping Boston's impressive six-game winning streak. The star of the evening was undoubtedly Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who blasted a grand slam and drove in six runs, tying his career high and marking his major league-leading 27th home run of the season. Meanwhile, Seattle's young right-hander Bryan Woo dazzled on the mound, throwing seven scoreless innings and stifling the Red Sox offense until the fifth inning.
The Mariners wasted no time setting the tone early. In the second inning, Seattle exploded for five runs against Red Sox starter Walker Buehler, who struggled mightily on the mound. Rowdy Tellez opened the frame with a single and swiftly stole second base, showcasing his aggressive baserunning. Cole Young then doubled off the right-field wall to drive in Tellez, putting Seattle on the board. After two walks loaded the bases, Cal Raleigh stepped up and smashed a first-pitch changeup from Buehler deep into the seats for a grand slam, instantly putting the Mariners ahead 5-0.
Raleigh’s offensive onslaught didn’t stop there. In the fourth inning, he added a two-run double, stole third base, and later scored on Jorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly. By the end of the fourth, Raleigh was just a triple shy of completing the cycle, finishing the night 3-for-4 with six RBIs and a run scored. His .998 OPS and 27 home runs place him on pace for one of the best offensive seasons ever recorded by a catcher.
On the mound, Bryan Woo was nothing short of masterful. The right-hander allowed just one baserunner through the first four innings—a hit-by-pitch—and kept the Red Sox hitless until Marcelo Mayer broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the fifth. Woo finished with seven shutout innings, surrendering only one hit, striking out six, and walking two. His performance lowered his ERA to an impressive 3.12, and Mariners manager praised him as "one of the best in the league" for his command and stuff.
In stark contrast, Walker Buehler’s night was a frustrating one for the Red Sox. The veteran right-hander, signed on a one-year, $21.05 million contract to bring leadership and stability to Boston’s rotation, was shelled for eight earned runs on eight hits and four walks over just 3 1/3 innings. His ERA ballooned to 5.95 after the outing, marking a troubling stretch where he has failed to string together consecutive quality starts since returning from a shoulder injury in May.
Buehler himself expressed his disappointment after the game, saying, "It just sucks to fail on that kind of level with where our team is at and how we’ve been feeling about ourselves and starting to play really good baseball. To be an older guy who was brought in here to kind of try and help lead and to perform the way I have been is tough and embarrassing." His struggles were evident in his inability to finish off batters, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted, "We had eight at-bats where we had him with two strikes and they got on base—walks, singles, doubles. We had two outs at one point, one pitch away from getting out of that inning and it just didn’t happen." Five of the eight hits Buehler allowed came after he had the hitter down in the count, highlighting his command issues.
Seattle capitalized on Buehler’s difficulties, especially in that second inning where the grand slam was the centerpiece of a five-run outburst. Buehler needed 93 pitches to record just 10 outs and threw only 58.1% strikes, a far cry from his usual command. His season has been marked by inconsistency, with nine of his twelve starts this year including at least one home run allowed. Despite generating 12 swings and misses, he only struck out two batters in this game, underscoring his struggles to dominate.
The Red Sox offense, missing the power bat of Rafael Devers due to his recent trade, was stifled throughout the night. Boston managed just two hits—Marcelo Mayer’s single in the fifth and another single later—against the dominant Woo and the Mariners bullpen. Rookie hitters occupying the middle of the lineup struggled to provide the offensive spark needed to challenge Seattle's pitching.
Despite the loss, the Red Sox bullpen was solid, with Jorge Alcala making a scoreless seventh inning in his first appearance since being acquired last week. The bullpen collectively allowed no earned runs over 4.2 innings, but it was too little too late given the deficit.
The defeat dropped Boston’s record to 38-37 on the season. The team will look to bounce back in the rubber match of the series scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, 2025, at 4:10 p.m. ET. For Buehler, the next start looms as an opportunity to regain form and confidence, likely taking place in Anaheim in about a week. As he put it, "Kind of back to the drawing board a little bit." The veteran right-hander remains hopeful, emphasizing his mental readiness and desire to help the team turn the season around.
Seattle’s victory showcased the potential of their young core and the impact of a dominant pitching performance combined with a powerful offensive display. Cal Raleigh’s career night and Bryan Woo’s masterful outing were the perfect storm that halted Boston’s momentum and highlighted the challenges the Red Sox face amid roster changes and pitching struggles.
As the Mariners continue to build on their success, the Red Sox must address their offensive void and pitching inconsistencies to stay competitive in a tightly contested season. For now, Seattle holds the upper hand in this series, but the battle is far from over.
