Raleigh hits MLB-leading 43rd homer in 8th to rally Mariners to a 3-2 win over Rays

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his MLB-leading 43rd homer of the season, a go-ahead three-run shot in the eighth inning, giving the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

The Mariners won their fifth consecutive game and remained 1 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros.

Raleigh erased Seattle's two-run deficit with a 417-foot shot to right-center field off Griffin Jax (1-6) after singles by J.P. Crawford and Cole Young.

Raleigh homered for the first time since July 31 against Texas. He leads Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber by two homers. Schwarber hit his 41st homer Friday.

Carlos Vargas (4-5) worked a scoreless eighth and Matt Brash earned his second save of the season, striking out all three batters in the ninth.

Rasmussen allowed four hits over six shutout innings, striking out four and walking none. Pitching in his home state, Rasmussen yielded one earned run across 20 1/3 innings in his career against Seattle.

Brandon Lowe hit a solo homer in the first and Junior Caminero hit his 31st homer of the season in the fifth to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.

Luis Castillo surrendered two runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked none.

The Mariners finally got their first runner in scoring position in the eighth after Young’s single that moved Crawford to second.

Rasmussen has allowed only two extra-base hits over his last five starts. Seattle didn’t have a runner in scoring position against the lefty.

Tampa Bay RHP Joe Boyle (1-1, 2.30) faces Seattle RHP Logan Evans (5-4, 4.30) on Saturday following Ichiro Suzuki’s jersey retirement ceremony.

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

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash reacts to earning the save in a win against the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Tampa Bay Rays' Tristan Peters swings in his first major league at-bat as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh looks on during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh reacts to being doused by teammate Victor Robles to celebrate his three-run home run after a win against the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh celebrates his three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays with teammate Donovan Solano, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh watches his three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan didn’t let city rival Inter Milan open up too big a gap at the top of Serie A as it fought back to win 3-1 at in-form Como on Thursday, with Adrien Rabiot winning a penalty and then scoring two goals.

Inter had moved six points clear of Milan and Napoli with a 1-0 win over Lecce on Wednesday, coupled with Napoli’s frustrating draw against Parma.

Milan’s victory saw the Rossoneri cut the gap back to three points.

It didn’t start off so well for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, however.

Como — which was sixth in Serie A — got off to the perfect start when a corner was taken short and then floated in for Marc-Oliver Kempf to head the hosts into the lead in the 10th minute.

Como dominated but Milan leveled on the stroke of halftime when it was awarded a penalty after Rabiot was brought down by Kempf and Christopher Nkunku’s spot kick squirmed under the body of Jean Butez.

Milan turned the match around completely 10 minutes into the second half. Rafael Leão controlled a crossfield pass and then cut inside before lifting the ball over for Rabiot to chest down and volley across into the bottom right corner.

And Rabiot sealed the match shortly before full time when Niclas Füllkrug headed a ball back to the France midfielder and he drilled hard and low into the near corner.

Bologna ended a miserable run as it fought back to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in a match full of spectacular goals.

Bologna hadn’t won since November and got off to a poor start when it gave away the ball in the opposition penalty area and Antoine Bernède raced almost from box to box before laying it off for Gift Orban to fire home.

Riccardo Orsolini curled in an equalizer following a smart free kick and equally impressive goals from Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro put Bologna 3-1 up at halftime.

Bologna midfielder Remo Marco Freuler accidentally turned a cross into his own net in the 71st minute.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Verona's Gift Orban, left, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Bologna's Santiago Castro (9), right, celebrates goal 1-3 during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and Bologna in Verona, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15 , 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Marc-Oliver Kempf, center, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

Como's Nico Paz, left, and AC Milan's Luka Modric in action during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Milan in Como, Italy, Thursday Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)