By admin 
SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh busted out of a season-long slump with the first three-homer game of his career Monday night.
Read more Angel Reese breaks WNBA record with 26 rebounds against Sparks, sets single-season record as well
The switch-hitting catcher capped a five-run first inning with a two-run shot off struggling Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. Raleigh and Cole Young opened the fifth with back-to-back homers, chasing Wheeler, and Raleigh connected for another solo shot off reliever Chase Shugart in the seventh to give him 17 home runs this season.
It was the first multihomer game of the year for Raleigh, who finished 3 for 3 with a walk in a 9-2 victory and raised his batting average from .159 to .167. He began the night with a strikeout rate of 31.2%.
Raleigh pulled all three homers into the right-field seats from the left side of the plate, becoming the 13th player in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game. The previous one was teammate Dominic Canzone on Sept. 16 last year.
Read more Angel Reese breaks WNBA single-game and season rebounding records as Dream beat Sparks 78-71
The only other Seattle catcher to accomplish the feat was current Mariners manager Dan Wilson in April 1996.
Raleigh was runner-up for the AL MVP award last year, when he led the majors with 60 home runs and added 125 RBIs.
Read more RJ Luis Jr. cleared by judge to play for LSU after spending time with 2 NBA teams
___
See AP’s full MLB coverage here