Cal Raleigh's walk-off single lifts Mariners over Yankees

Raleigh's RBI single in the 9th inning gives Seattle a 2-1 win in the series opener

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:34am

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Cal Raleigh came off the bench and delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the 9th inning to score Leo Rivas and give the Seattle Mariners a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees. Luis Castillo pitched six scoreless innings for the Mariners, striking out 1,500th batter of his career against Aaron Judge.

Why it matters

The Mariners are looking to build on their strong 2025 season and get off to a good start against the perennial playoff contender Yankees. Raleigh's late-game heroics show the team's ability to win close games and get contributions from their bench players.

The details

Raleigh's game-winning hit came against Yankees reliever Paul Blackburn, scoring Leo Rivas from third base. Earlier, Raleigh had struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 7th inning with runners on base. Mariners starter Luis Castillo was dominant, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks over 6 scoreless innings, including his 1,500th career strikeout against Aaron Judge. The Yankees tied the game at 1-1 in the 6th on an unearned run, but the Mariners bullpen kept them off the board until Raleigh's clutch hit in the 9th.

  • Raleigh delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 9th inning.
  • Castillo recorded his 1,500th career strikeout against Aaron Judge in the 6th inning.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The runner-up for AL MVP last season, Raleigh came off the bench in the late innings and delivered the game-winning RBI single for the Mariners.

Luis Castillo

The Mariners' starting pitcher, Castillo pitched 6 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7, including the 1,500th of his career against Aaron Judge.

Paul Blackburn

The Yankees reliever who gave up the game-winning hit to Raleigh in the 9th inning.

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What’s next

The Mariners and Yankees will continue their three-game series on Saturday, with the Mariners looking to build on this win and the Yankees hoping to bounce back.

The takeaway

Raleigh's walk-off hit showcases the Mariners' ability to win close games and get contributions from their bench players, an important trait for a team aiming to build on their strong 2025 season and compete with the Yankees in the AL.