Mariners Extend Streak, Celebrate Ichiro's Inspiration

The Seattle Mariners extended their winning streak to six games, the longest active in the American League, by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 on Saturday. The win was highlighted by Cal Raleigh's major league-leading 44th home run and Julio Rodríguez's two homers, bringing his season total to 23. The game followed a ceremony retiring Ichiro Suzuki’s No. 51 jersey, after which Ichiro inspired the team with a motivational speech about seizing their opportunity this season. Raleigh's three-run homer in the third inning provided a pivotal cushion, while Rodríguez’s back-to-back homers energized the crowd. Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero homered for the Rays, but Seattle’s bullpen held on to secure the win. The Mariners now sit half a game behind the Houston Astros in the AL West, are tied for the wild card lead, and will look to complete a series sweep with Bryan Woo set to face Tampa's Adrian Houser in the finale.