Cal Raleigh's clutch hit backs Logan Gilbert's gem as Seattle Mariners top Orioles

For an almost perfect summer evening in Seattle - the pleasant kind of night that people outside of the area can't comprehend - all was right and comfortably familiar for the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

On a day that featured more roster chaos due to nagging injuries, including Randy Arozarena being placed on the 10-day injured list an hour before first pitch with a hamstring strain and Luke Raley (back tightness) and Josh Naylor (wrist soreness) out of the lineup, the Mariners' patchwork lineup did just enough to pull out a 3-1 victory.

Pretty exciting one tonight," manager Dan Wilson said. "It was a great way to start the homestand here."

The "odd couple" duo of Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh - once minor-league roommates and now cornerstone players - offered a reassuring reminder of what they mean to the franchise.

Gilbert delivered one of his best outings of the season, working seven innings and allowing just one run on two hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Raleigh, who was activated from the injured list before the game, broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a bases-loaded single to put the Mariners up for good.

A boisterous crowd of 27,396 welcomed the Mariners back from an injury-riddled 10-game road trip that featured a suboptimal 4-6 record. They were rewarded with a crisp, well-pitched game that lasted just 2 hours, 18 minutes.

The Mariners have won many a game with that combination of performances from Gilbert and Raleigh. And they will need more in the weeks ahead as Seattle tries to navigate through a rash of injuries - some minor and some major - while trying to maintain their lead atop the American League West.

"That's a formula that the Mariners have enjoyed for a while, and tonight was another example of that," Wilson said. "Those two have so much history with each other. They go way back to A ball. They've worked together for so long and it worked out well tonight."

Of course, that duo likes to poke at each other at all times. It started when Raleigh told Gilbert via text that he was returning from the injured list on Tuesday.

"I said, 'You just couldn't wait to catch me and you came back just for me,'" Gilbert said chuckling. "But when I show up today, and he was complaining that he wanted (Bryan) Woo for his first time back because it's easier or something. So that's a good confidence builder right before I go out there."

But for all their banter and back-and-forth barbs, Gilbert feels different when Raleigh is catching him.

"You feel comfortable when he's back there," Gilbert said. "We go back for a while, so he knows me really well, and knows when I'm on-line, even just targeting-wise. I don't know how to explain it, but I'm just used to it. I just like the way he sets up and what the plan is, all that kind of stuff."

Gilbert's lone run allowed came in the first inning. He allowed a leadoff double to Taylor Ward that bounced off the top of the wall and remained in the park largely due to a nice breeze blowing in from left field.

It looked like Gilbert might get out of the inning without allowing a run when he struck out Gunnar Henderson and got Adley Rutschman to ground out to first.

But after walking Pete Alonso with two outs, he gave up a single to Samuel Basallo to right field.

"I was really, really nervous the first inning there," Raleigh said. "After that first thing, I settled down, he settled down. It was really good.

Relying heavily on a lively fastball that generated 12 whiffs, Gilbert retired the next 16 hitters in a row before hitting Alonso with a pitch. He came back to retire the next three batters to close out the seventh and walk off the field to a standing ovation. It was just the second time this season that Gilbert pitched seven complete innings. He only pitched seven complete once in 2025.

"Just being aggressive, trying to think of it as quick at-bats, like three or four pitches," he said. "Funny thing is, I kind of always am doing that, but it's not always seven innings and 10 strikeouts. You kind of take it when you can, but there's also some humility in this game, just to know that I really don't have that much control, none of us do. But good things happen when you're aggressive and challenging hitters."

The Mariners tied the game in the third against O's starter Brandon Young. Miles Mastrobuoni and J.P. Crawford, who was also reinstated from the injured list before the game, worked back-to-back walks with one out. Julio Rodriguez came through with two outs, dumping a single to left field.

In the seventh, Victor Robles led off with an infield single and Colt Emerson followed with a crisp single to left field off Young. With the left-handed hitting Mastrobuoni coming to the plate and Crawford, also a left-handed hitter in the on-deck circle, the Orioles called on lefty Grant Wolfram.

Mastrobuoni executed a perfect sacrifice bunt down the third-base line, moving both runners up 90 feet.

"He made it look really easy and put it close to the line on the grass, and perfectly executed," Wilson said. "It really set up the inning for us."

Crawford worked a walk to load the bases for Raleigh, who had walked in his previous plate appearance. As "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne blared throughout the stadium as Raleigh walked to the plate, the crowd rose in anticipation, knowing this was a situation he'd excelled in last season.

"Of course, that happens in the first game back," Raleigh said. "I fell behind 0-1 and I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield."

Raleigh swung through a 96-mph sinker at the top of the strike zone. But when Wolfram fired another sinker lower in the zone, Raleigh dumped a soft liner into center field for a single.

"I got just enough of it, and it worked out," he said.

With a two-run lead, Wilson turned to his bullpen.

Eduard Bazardo worked a scoreless eighth and Andres Muñoz, who was forced out of the game in his last outing due to back tightness, showed no effects from it, closing out the game with a scoreless ninth for his 11th save.

"Some of the best stuff we've seen from him tonight," Wilson said. "He was 101 mph on the heater and he came out firing right away. I thought he just looked outstanding.

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