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Seattle Mariners Secure Series Win With 4-1 Victory Over San Diego Padres
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh runs after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres on May 17 at Petco Park. David Frerker-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners secured a solid start to their daunting 10-game road trip and won a series against the San Diego Padres with a 4-1 victory on Saturday at Petco Park. The win improved the Mariners' season record to 25-19 and preserved a 1.5-game lead in the American League West over the Texas Rangers.

Gavin Sheets gave the Padres their first advantage and only run of the game. He hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to give San Diego a 1-0 lead.

Seattle responded a half-inning later. Rowdy Tellez hit a solo homer of his own to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the fifth. The score remained knotted until the top of the seventh. Cal Raleigh hit the third solo homer of the game — a 398-foot home to left field. It was his 15th homer of the season, which tied him for second in the majors in that category. It was the second game in a row both Tellez and Raleigh hit homers.

Before the Mariners took their lead, the Padres had several opportunities to take the lead. San Diego left two in scoring position in the second. It stranded another in the third and loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth.

Seattle starting pitcher Emerson Hancock was pulled with two outs in the fifth. He finished the game with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings. He walked one and allowed one earned run on six hits (one home run). Gabe Speier relieved Hancock for the final out in the fifth and struck out Jackson Merrill to leave three runners on base. San Diego finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight stranded.

The Mariners bolstered their lead in the top of the ninth. They loaded the bases with one out before Dylan Moore hit a two-RBI single to bolster Seattle's lead to the eventual final of 4-1. Moore's hit accounted for the Mariners' only runs of the series that weren't via home run.

Seattle closer Andres Munoz entered the game for the final out of the bottom of the eighth and retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth. It was his 14th save of the season in 16 opportunities and his first four-out save of the season.

The Mariners will look to sweep the Padres in the series finale and earn a 3-0 advantage in the inaugural Vedder Cup at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday. Bryan Woo will start for Seattle and Michael King will start for San Diego.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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