Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 54th home run of the season, tying Mickey Mantle’s record for a switch hitter set in 1961, as the Seattle Mariners took sole possession of first place in the American League West with an 11-2 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon.
Jorge Polanco tied a franchise record with three doubles and Julio Rodriguez added two more with two runs and two RBIs as the Mariners (82-68) won their ninth game in a row.
Randy Arozarena led off the bottom of the first with a single and Raleigh hit the next pitch from Kyle Hendricks, a sinker on the outside corner, 409ft into the Seattle bullpen in left-center field.
Related: The myth of the Big Dumper: how Cal Raleigh became a Seattle folk hero
Raleigh said he had talked about the record with his father. “I remember him talking about [Mantle] like he was a god. Which he was,” Raleigh said of visiting Yankee Stadium with his father when he was younger. “It’s kind of cool to think about that.”
Mariners manager Dan Wilson paid tribute to Raleigh’s attitude. “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,” Wilson said. “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.”
The Mariners’ last division title came in 2001, when they won 116 games. Raleigh said he is concentrating on helping his team end their drought.
“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 said. “I’m trying to do my best to block that out. I’m glad that we have something bigger to work towards.”
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