Raleigh homers twice, breaks Bench's record in the Mariners' 9-4 victory over the Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Cal Raleigh broke Johnny Bench's record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners' 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Raleigh broke a tie in the seventh with No. 29 to move ahead of Hall of Famer Bench's 1970 mark. Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. Barry Bonds holds the overall record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001.

Raleigh had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. The 28-year-old slugger drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.

Mitch Garver also homered twice and drove in five runs, putting it away with a three-run shot in the ninth. Randy Arozarena and Donovan Solano each had three hits to help Seattle win for the fifth time in seven games.

Raleigh and Garver are the first pair of primary catchers for a team to each homer twice since Joe Ferguson and Steve Yeager did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1979 home victory over Houston.

The teams combined for six homers with the wind blowing out on a warm day when former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in over 20 years.

Ian Happ homered in Chicago’s three-run first inning, and Reese McGuire added a solo shot. Michael Busch had three hits and two RBIs as NL Central-leading Cubs dropped their second straight.

Raleigh hit his go-ahead drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar (2-2). Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd.

Eduard Bazardo (2-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.

Boyd made a dramatic catch of J.P. Crawford’s comebacker for the final out in the top of the fifth. Boyd snared the liner at the last instant as it was headed for his face.

Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong popped out softly three times and struck out a day after going deep and becoming the first player with 20 homers and 20 steals this season.

Seattle RHP Emerson Hancock (3-2, 4.48 ERA) was set to face RHP Cade Horton (3-1. 3.47) on Saturday.

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

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29), right, receives the home run trident from Dylan Moore (25) after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh holds the "home run trident" after hitting a two-run a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh runs the bases after hitting a two-run a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jaylen Brown matched his career high with 50 points and the Boston Celtics completed a successful West Coast swing with a 146-115 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.

Brown had 19 points in the third quarter. Derrick White added 29 points and Anfernee Simons had 15 as the Celtics went 4-1 on the trip and 3-1 against Western Conference teams. Boston is 7-1 since Dec. 19.

Brown was 18 of 26 from the floor, while White went 10 of 20. Boston shot 55.2% overall and 47.1% from 3-point range. Brown and White combined to go 11 of 22 from long range.

Kawhi Leonard and John Collins each scored 22 points as the Clippers saw their season-best, six-game winning streak end. Collins made his first eight shots in the game and went 9 of 10 from the floor.

Derrick Jones scored 19 points for Los Angeles before leaving in the fourth quarter with an apparent right knee injury. James Harden had 18 points and 12 assists, and Ivica Zubac had four points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes after missing the previous five games with a sprained left ankle.

Brown put the game away with nine consecutive Celtics points for a 128-107 lead with 6:15 remaining. He scored inside in traffic with 3:56 remaining to reach 50 points.

Celtics: Host Chicago on Monday night.

Clippers: Host Golden State on Monday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, is hit in the face by Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden as Harden drives toward the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, left, has his shot blocked by Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Boston Celtics forward Josh Minott, left, guard Jordan Walsh, right and Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, second from left, reach for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, reaches in on Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, right, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)