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Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh broke one of Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s records in the team’s 9-4 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday.
Raleigh, 28, hit two home runs, his 28th and 29th of the season, and broke Bench’s record for most home runs for a catcher before the All-Star break. Bench had set the previous record in 1970.
Raleigh’s 28th blast of the season came in the first inning off of Cubs’ starter Matthew Boyd. The Mariners’ catcher ripped Boyd’s 95-mph fastball just over the wall in left-center field to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.
With the first-inning blast, Raleigh tied Bench’s record. However, he would only remain tied with Bench for six innings.
In the top of the seventh inning, Raleigh ripped Cubs’ reliever Caleb Thielbar’s 94 MPH fastball down the line for a two-run home run to give the Mariners a 6-4 lead, and passed Bench to set the new record.
“Any time you’re mentioned in even the same sentence with one of the best, if not the best ever to do it, is a special thing,” Raleigh said.
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“I’m just very grateful. He’s one heck of a player or was one heck of a player. And like I said, just very, very happy about it.”
Raleigh’s 29 home runs are the most in Major League Baseball, and his multi-home run game was the sixth of his season.
Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Mariners’ star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game.
Raleigh is in the midst of an outstanding season, as the catcher has a .273 batting average and, in addition to leading the big leagues in home runs, leads the American League in RBIs, with 63.
Raleigh’s Mariners (38-36) take on the Cubs (45-30) again on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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