Cal Raleigh drives in go-ahead run in 7th as Seattle Mariners beat White Sox 4-3
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 11: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners slides to home plate to score off a two RBI double by Cal Raleigh #29 during the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park on June 11, 2024 in Seattle, Was (Alika Jenner)
SEATTLE - Cal Raleigh hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners earned a 4-3 comeback win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
It was the second consecutive night that Raleigh drove in the winning run, after he hit a walk-off grand slam against Chicago on Monday. Raleigh has a 1.046 OPS this season in late and close situations.
"I feel like in those moments, you really have to be committed to your plan," Raleigh said. "Whatever it is, you've got to live and die by it. Lord knows I've died by it many times, it's gone the other way. But there's been a lot of times where it does work out."
Mariners starter Jhonathan Díaz surrendered four singles in the top of the second inning, including a bases-loaded hit by Martin Maldonado. Prior to his RBI single, Maldonado was 0 for 35 dating to May 11, and 1 for 46 over his past 15 games.
The Mariners tied it in the bottom of the second with consecutive doubles from Luke Raley and Mitch Garver, but Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong hit back-to-back homers in the third to put Chicago up 3-1.
The Mariners pulled within one on Raleigh’s third-inning RBI double against Drew Thorpe, who allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) over five innings in his major league debut.
"Good sweeper, good slider, good fastball," Maldonado said. "I think he threw the ball really good on the whole lineup."
But the Mariners got to the Chicago bullpen, as Josh Rojas drew a two-out walk and Julio Rodríguez reached on an infield single in the seventh against reliever John Brebbia (0-4), before Raleigh came through with his second double of the game.
"He's a good fastball hitter, he's also a good breaking ball hitter, and that really helps in those situations," manager Scott Servais said of Raleigh’s success in big moments. "... It's a controlled aggression and he does a really good job with that in those moments, about as good as anyone we've seen here in quite some time."
Díaz, who started in place of Bryan Woo, gave up three earned runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings, and threw first-pitch strikes to 21 of the 26 batters he faced.
"They just told me attack, attack the batter," Díaz said. "I'm trying to get ahead in those counts, and I think that's what helped me a lot today."
Trent Thornton (2-1) went 1 2/3 innings for the win, and Ryne Stanek pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
The loss dropped Chicago to an MLB-worst 17-51.
ROSTER MOVES
WHITE SOX: Chicago recalled Thorpe from Double-A Birmingham and optioned LHP Sammy Peralta to Triple-A Charlotte.
MARINERS: Seattle recalled Díaz and RHP Eduard Bazardo from Triple-A Tacoma and designated RHP Matt Bowman and LHP Kirby Snead for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Woo was scratched from his scheduled start and had an MRI on his right arm … The White Sox transferred RHP Dominic Leon (elbow) to the 60-day IL … White Sox outfielders Andrew Benintendi and Tommy Pham took at-bats Monday on rehab stints, and should be available later this week.
UP NEXT
White Sox rookie RHP Jonathan Cannon (0-1, 5.94 ERA) will pitch Wednesday against Mariners’ righty Bryce Miller (5-5, 3.81 ERA).