SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his sixth career grand slam, George Kirby and three relievers combined for a three-hitter and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night.
The Mariners (51-50) are above .500 for the first time in nearly two weeks and moved a half-game ahead of Texas (50-50) in the AL West.
In the seventh inning, Reds lefty Caleb Ferguson intentionally walked Dominic Canzone to load the bases for Raleigh, last year’s
AL MVP runner-up. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Raleigh turned on a hanging breaking ball, sending it 408 feet into the left field bleachers to make it 7-0.
Kirby (8-8), who struck out six and walked one, needed only 80 pitches in his sixth straight quality start. Edwin Arroyo was the lone Reds hitter to advance past second base, and he was thrown out at home with ease by Mariners right fielder Victor Robles on a shallow fly ball in the third.
Rodríguez hit an RBI single off Andrew Abbott (5-6) to make it 1-0 in the fifth. He hit a chopper to Elly De La Cruz, and the Reds shortstop’s throw to first base was off line. Robles scored from third base and Rodríguez reached base safely, but exited the game soon after for undisclosed reasons.
Robles moved from right field to center field after Rodríguez departed. Weston Wilson, who entered for Rodríguez, made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the seventh.
Nick Davila, Cole Wilcox and Michael Rucker pitched hitless innings of relief to preserve the shutout.
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford was a late scratch from the lineup. Colt Emerson replaced him, and hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to increase Seattle’s lead to 2-0.
Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suarez, who played parts of three seasons for the Mariners, was greeted with a standing ovation when he led off the second.
RHP Luis Castillo (3-8, 4.93) gets the nod for Seattle in the second game of the three-game series against Reds RHP Chase Burns (11-1, 2.54).
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