Watch: Cal Raleigh clubs MLB-best 45th homer, helps Mariners beat Rays

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Cal Raleigh smoked a fastball over the right field fence for an MLB-leading 45th home run, sparking a Seattle Mariners win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Seattle.

Raleigh raked the 376-foot, two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning of the 6-3 triumph Sunday at T-Mobile Park. The Mariners catcher went 1 for 5 with two RBIs, a run scored and two strikeouts

"It was a great start," Raleigh told reporters. "We put the pressure on them from the beginning. That's what having a deep lineup does."

With his 45th home run of the season, Raleigh tied Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench for the second-most home runs ever hit by a primary catcher in one season. Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez holds the all-time mark, with 48, from 2021.

First baseman Josh Naylor also homered for the Mariners. Third baseman Eugenio Suarez drove in two runs in the victory. Starting pitcher Bryan Woo allowed seven hits and three runs over six innings to improve to 10-6 this season. He also issued nine strikeouts.

Rays starter Adrian Houser hit left fielder Randy Arozarena with a pitch to give the Mariners their first base runner in the first at-bat of the bottom of the first inning.

Houser proceeded to fall behind 3-1 in the count against Raleigh in the next exchange. He heaved in a 95.6-mph sinker for the final offering of the exchange. Raleigh belted the fastball 112.9 mph to right field, clearing the fence by about 10 rows.

Suarez added to the lead with a two-run single in the same inning.

Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim brought in the Rays' first score with an RBI double in the top of the second. First baseman Yandy Diaz cut the deficit in half with an RBI ground out in the top of the third. Kim hit a 366-foot solo homer off Woo in the top of the fourth to make the score 4-3, but the Rays failed to manufacture additional runs.

Naylor hit his solo shot in the bottom of the seventh. Right fielder Dominic Canzone brought in the final run of the night with an RBI single in the eighth.

With the victory, the Mariners (66-53) completed a three-game sweep of the Rays and extended their winning streak to seven games. They sit in second place in the American League West, a half game behind the division-leading Houston Astros (66-52).

Raleigh, who homered in all three games of the sweep, hit .247 with an MLB-leading 98 RBIs through his first 116 appearances of the 2025 season.

"A great home stand, outstanding work," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. "Now it's time to take it on the road and just continue the momentum."

The Mariners will face the Baltimore Orioles at 6:35 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Baltimore. The Rays (57-62) will take on the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. Monday in West Sacramento, Calif.