"It was just crazy" - Cal Raleigh after cracking one of the greatest walk-off homers in Seattle Mariners history; ending the longest playoff drought in MLB
Cal Raleigh sent the Seattle Mariners to the MLB postseason for the first time since 2001. The 21-year playoff drought was the longest in sports history. Doing it on a walk-off home run made the moment much sweeter.
The Seattle Mariners took on the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. At the time, they held the second Wild Card spot in the American League. With the Baltimore Orioles five games behind Seattle, the Mariners needed a win Friday to secure a Wild Card spot.
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Cal Raleigh stepped in to pinch-hit for Luis Torrens. In a 3-2 count, Raleigh hit a home run that just cleared the right-field foul pole to win the game.
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.
THE MARINERS END THEIR POSTSEASON DROUGHT WITH A WALK-OFF HOME RUN. https://t.co/qcDM5JG1xx
That's a scenario every budding baseball player visualizes growing up. Hit a walk-off home run at a full count in the bottom of the ninth. The script couldn't have been written any better.
Cal Raleigh spoke to MLB reporters to describe what it felt like to hit the home run that sent Seattle into the playoffs. Raleigh couldn't believe it. The moment didn't hit him until he saw his teammates jumping out of the dugout to celebrate.
"The moment when I knew it was fair and then looking at the team and everybody's jumping, it was just crazy," Cal Raleigh said.
NO. SLEEP. IN. SEATTLE! #clinched #SeaUsRise @Mariners https://t.co/Db8DminJCS
It was a special moment for the Mariners to do this in their ballpark. To have all the fans celebrating as the team ended the longest playoff drought in sports history was a sight to behold.
While the Mariners have clinched a Wild Card spot, their seeding still isn't secure heading into the playoffs.
They currently hold the fifth seed in the American League. They are half a game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. They could jump up to the fourth seed or down to the sixth depending on how their last six regular-season games go.
Can Seattle carry on the Cal Raleigh home run magic to the postseason?
The Seattle Mariners could be one of the surprise stories this postseason if they can get healthy. Rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez has been on the injury list, resting and recovering from a back injury since before the Oakland series.
He has played at an elite level this year and changed the look of this Seattle team completely. If he's able to recover for the postseason, this team could be tough to defeat in a series.