Mariners' Cal Raleigh belts grand slam, Bryan Woo dominates vs. Rangers

Adam Jude, The Seattle Times on May 2, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ARLINGTON, Texas — Cal Raleigh hit two home runs — highlighted by a one-handed grand slam — to take over the major-league lead in homers, and Bryan Woo was brilliant over six-plus innings as the Mariners thumped the Texas Rangers, 13-1, in their series opener Friday night at Globe Life Park.

Woo was perfect into the fifth inning and allowed only one hit in a scoreless start, continuing his dominant start to the season.

The Mariners are 15-4 in their last 19 games, the best record in MLB over that stretch.

And to one big question hanging over this team — can they keep up this offensive onslaught? — the Mariners offered a resounding yes for another day.

Raleigh hit a mammoth homer, estimated at 432 feet, off Texas starter Jack Leiter for the game’s first run leading off the fourth inning.

In his next at-bat, Raleigh broke it open in the fifth inning, reaching down to loft a Leiter curveball that dropped well below the strike zone, his top hand pulling off the handle of the bat as he made contact. The ball sailed into the right-field stands for a grand slam, extending the Mariners’ lead to 5-0.

Mariners rookie right fielder Rhylan Thomas, making his MLB debut, hit a bloop double just fair near the left-field line to lead off the fifth inning for his first big-league hit. He added his first RBI later in the inning on a sacrifice fly, part of the Mariners’ seven-run fifth inning.

Third baseman Ben Williamson made an incredible catch to end the first inning, turning his back to the infield, diving and snagging an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field to take away a hit from Joc Pederson. Williamson also had an RBI double off the wall in right-center field in the fifth.

It’s the second straight game the Mariners have scored six runs or more in one inning — they scored six runs in the seventh inning Wednesday to beat the Angels — the first time that’s happened for the M’s since April 2019.

Raleigh has tormented Texas early this season, homering in all four games against the Rangers, five in all. His 12 homers are two more than anyone in MLB.

Julio Rodriguez added a two-run homer to straightaway center field in the sixth inning, his fifth home run. That extended the lead to 10-0.

The Mariners added three more runs in the ninth inning off a position player (catcher Tucker Barnhart) to make it 13-0.

Woo, meanwhile, was nearly untouchable.

Jonah Heim singled with two outs in the fifth inning, breaking up Woo’s perfect game.

That would be the only runner Woo would allow.. His final line: 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 8 K’s.

Woo was in control all night, and his only hint of frustration came when manager Dan Wilson came out to get him with one out in the seventh inning, his pitch count at 87 pitches.

But given the state of the Mariners’ rotation, it was probably the prudent thing to do for Wilson.

And with Logan Gilbert (elbow flexor strain) and George Kirby (shoulder inflammation) on the injured list, Woo’s consistent ace-like production has been one of the most encouraging developments of the young season for the Mariners.

Woo has thrown at least six innings in all six of his starts this season, with five quality starts (three runs or less in six innings or more). He lowered his ERA to 2.58.

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