Cal Raleigh homers twice, knocks in 5 as Mariners finish off 3-game sweep of Mets with 12-1 win

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit two home runs, Luis Castillo struck out nine and the Seattle Mariners completed a spirited sweep of the New York Mets with a 12-1 win on Sunday.

Castillo gave up four hits and walked two in six innings, completing a tour de force series for Seattle’s starters. George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Castillo combined to strike out 21 and give up 10 hits while walking four in 19 innings, all with Raleigh behind the plate.

“To me, I would say it was one of those perfect days, you know?” Castillo said through a translator. “The defense was working. Me and the catcher were working. So everything was clicking.”

New York’s Jeff McNeil ended a scoreless streak of 27 innings with a solo home run in the sixth inning, the only run for the Mets in the three-game series.

The one run allowed in the three-game series ties a team record, a mark reached twice before. And the 11-run margin of victory was the season's largest. Seattle has won four straight and remains tied atop the AL West with the Houston Astros after a trade deadline that included the acquisitions of Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner, as well as bullpen help. Arozarena saved a run with a diving catch in the outfield in Sunday's win.

“Since we made the acquisitions there before the trade deadline, there’s just a different vibe in our clubhouse,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “There’s a much more confident feel amongst our group, even on the nights where we don’t ultimately get it done and get the win. There's just a different feel with where we’re at right now.”

Castillo (10-11) had the Mets baffled at times, surpassing 1,300 career strikeouts in the start. He fanned five straight batters midway through his appearance. He got the side swinging in the fourth, finishing Jose Iglesias with a sinker inside that caused the batter to corkscrew into the ground to end the inning.

“I (did) it a couple of times in Cincinnati,” Castillo said when asked about the dramatic strikeout. “But when it happened, a lot of teammates here told me that I had my fist up, so I think they were all telling me that that was kind of incredible.”

Raleigh put the Mariners up 4-0 with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, then hit a three-run shot in the six-run sixth to make it 10-1. The catcher's third multi-homer game this season brings his total to 26, making him the first catcher since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza to hit 25 homers or more in three consecutive seasons. Piazza did it in eight consecutive seasons (1995-2002).

Raleigh came to the plate in the seventh with the bases loaded, but popped out to left field.

“Cal, he's up there and he's hunting pitches,” Servais said. “He's got all kinds of power and if you make a mistake and leave it in his happy zone, we're going to be happy because good things happen.”

Jorge Polanco put the Mariners up 1-0 with a solo homer in the second. He had three hits and two runs scored.

Mets starter Luis Severino (7-6) struck out eight and walked two in five innings, losing his third straight. He’s given up 14 earned runs in his last three starts, failing to make it beyond five innings in each.

“They were just better than us in pretty much every area,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The way they pitched, timely hitting, they got big hits, they made big-time plays defensively. They pretty much outplayed us the whole series.”

RODRIGUEZ’S RETURN

Mariners designated hitter Julio Rodríguez made his return to the lineup after missing three weeks with a sprained ankle. Visibly impatient at the plate, Rodríguez struck out in all five appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: 3B Mark Vientos was a late scratch with a sore left ankle. … RHP Dedniel Núñez (forearm) threw a bullpen session. Mendoza said the team will see how he feels Monday before scheduling another session.

Mariners: SS J.P. Crawford threw before the game for the first time since breaking a finger on his right hand. “He still feels it, but we want to get his arm moving and at least tossing a ball,” Servais said.

UP NEXT

Mets: New York takes Monday off before playing Oakland to start a nine-game homestand. Pitchers have not been announced.

Mariners: Seattle takes Monday off before playing at Detroit to start a nine-game road trip. Pitchers have not been announced.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco rounds third base after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas looks at a hit that flies foul during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco runs home on a single hit by teammate Leo Rivas during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Leo Rivas signals towards his teammates after hitting a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

New York Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, left, and teammates visit pitcher Ryne Stanek, center, as the Seattle Mariners load up the bases during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Dominic Canzone hits a double off of New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino during the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas hits the ball for a foul during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Liv Lyons)

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, dropping the Braves out of a playoff position.

Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of run-scoring grounders that increased his RBIs total to 108. He did not hit a home run or steal a base during the series, remaining at 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings, throwing 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury — up from 59 on Sept. 10.

“We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and built him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club. These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go.”

The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and pitched their 13th shutout.

NL West-leading Los Angeles (89-61) began the night 3 1/2 games behind second place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: The other was on June 4, 2021, also at Atlanta.

After losing the first two games of the series by a combined 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 over the last two.

“When you start off a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and drop the first two, to come back and respond, I thought that was big by the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve played a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve been a part of.”

Atlanta (81-69) dropped one game behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the NL's third wild card spot. The Braves were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 10 against Yamamoto.

Los Angeles took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.

“He really exemplifies what I expect in a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “Tonight, he won a ballgame for us.”

Max Fried (9-10) gave up three runs and two hits in six innings

Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first after Rojas walked, advanced on a grounder and stole third. Rojas' run-scoring single and Ohtani's RBI grounder boosted the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.

Freeman capped a six-run seventh with his 22nd homer after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández drove in runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL with a left big toe fracture. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.

Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second base for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If that goes well, he could rejoin the Braves in Miami on Friday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series in Miami on Tuesday night against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06), starting a stretch of six games against last-place teams.

Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) to start a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches a pitch go by called strike in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, tags second base before Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia, right, can get the ball in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani checks the scoreboard from the dugout in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the scoreboard before his turn at bat in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman swings in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)