Raley homers, Mariners snatch 1st win of the season in 5-1 victory against Guardians

SEATTLE (AP) — Luke Raley hit his second home run in as many games as the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-1 on Friday night for their first win of the season.

Raley, who hit only four home runs last season in an injury-plagued year, walloped a belt-high cutter from Guardians reliever Colin Holderman and hit it 390 feet to plate a pair and give the reigning AL west champions a 5-1 lead.

Seattle jumped out in front in the fourth inning when Cole Young hit a three-run shot to right field off Guardians starter Gavin Williams (0-1). The second-year second baseman cranked a fastball from Williams that ran over the heart of the plate and deposited it into the bleachers in right-center field.

The Guardians, who won Thursday’s game 6-4 thanks in large part to a pair of home runs by rookie Chase DeLauter, benefited from another home run by the top prospect on Friday.

In the first inning, DeLauter launched a 1-0 slider by Seattle starter George Kirby (1-0) and hit it 360 feet to right field. He is the third player since at least 1900 with three home runs in his first two career regular-season games, joining Trevor Story (2016) and Joe Cunningham (1954).

That was all the offense Cleveland could muster against Kirby, who only allowed one more hit over his six innings of work. Cleveland loaded the bases against Kirby with one out in the fifth inning, but Rhys Hoskins tried to score from third base on a shallow fly ball and was thrown out at home plate by Randy Arozarena.

Kirby struck out six and walked two.

LHP Joey Cantillo takes the mound for the Guardians in the third game of the four-game series opposite Mariners RHP Bryan Woo.

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

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cole Young follows through on a three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley celebrates with the trident in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley follows through on a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

CHICAGO (AP) — When it comes to blocking shots, Aday Mara is the 7-foot-3 center of attention for Michigan.

This time, he had some company.

The Wolverines ramped up their defensive intensity in the second half of Friday night's 90-77 win over Alabama in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. They limited the Crimson Tide to 28 points and 32% shooting after they struggled to contain Labaron Philon Jr. and company early on.

Nimari Burnett helped set the tone when he blocked a 3-point attempt by Latrell Wrightsell Jr. with 18:02 left. Roddy Gayle Jr. blocked another 3-point try by Wrightsell with 17:10 remaining, and he rejected a long-range shot by Houston Mallette with 13:44 to go.

“When that happens, as shooters, you typically, when you get one or two blocks you start looking around instead of focusing on what you need to be looking at,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “I do think that had an effect on their shooting, especially the last eight or 10 minutes.”

Of course, Mara had two of the Wolverines' eight blocks for the game. He is up to 98 blocks on the year, breaking Roy Tarpley's school record of 97 from the 1985-86 season.

The last time Michigan played in Chicago, it surrendered 42 points in the second half of an 80-72 loss to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament championship on March 15.

“Our personality is really on the defensive side, so we really got to that,” Gayle said. “Also, playing the first half we kind of understood what kind of game it was going to be, so I’m really proud of how our guys adapted to the circumstances.”

Michigan trailed Alabama 49-47 at the break after Philon scored 19 of his 35 points in the first half. The Crimson Tide went 9 for 24 from 3-point range in the early going.

“I would say we tried to pretty much get into an offensive match with those guys,” said Yaxel Lendeborg, who had 23 points for the Wolverines. “You know, we’re not that kind of team. They’re a way better offensive team than we are. Once we started slowing the game down, being a lot more physical, and trying to dominate the paint, we started finding more success.

“Our defense started coming alive, and that really helped us out. It helped our confidence.”

Michigan turned its second-half defense into points on the other end.

Lendeborg stepped in front of an Alabama pass along the baseline and threw the ball ahead to Nimari Burnett for a fast-break dunk that gave the Wolverines a 54-51 lead with 17:04 left. A steal by Elliot Cadeau turned into a layup by Trey McKenney that made it 67-57 with 13:23 remaining.

“I felt like in the first half we let them, you know, get a lot of open 3-pointers,” McKenney said. “I think in the second half we were early in the gap and then we got out, and we made them shoot tougher shots. I think that was why the result was at the end of the game.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Alabama's Aiden Sherrell (22) wipes his face after losing to Michigan in a Sweet 16 NCAA college basketball tournament game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. (21) reaches for a rebound between teammate Will Tschetter, right, and Alabama's Amari Allen, left, during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates after defeating Alabama in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)