Family, friends cheer on Luke Raley at Guardians game

CLEVELAND — The second game of his homecoming was not as much fun as the first, but Mariners outfielder Luke Raley still appreciates the opportunity to play at the stadium he competed in as a Highland baseball player with the dreams of playing in the big leagues. From playing for the Hornets and Lake Erie College to being drafted by the Dodgers and having stints in the majors with the Dodgers, Rays and now Seattle, Raley embraces every chance he gets to play the game he loves. "Honestly, when I went to a small Division II school, I didn't see this as my future," the Hinckley Township native said prior to Wednesday's game. "I knew there was a chance, but I knew it wasn't great. "It's been a fun adventure to get here, and I wouldn't trade it for the world." After winning the first game of the series, in which Raley hit a memorable home run, the Mariners lost 8-0 to the Guardians on Wednesday night behind an electric performance by pitcher Tanner Bibee, who struck out the left fielder twice on his way to a career-high 12 punchouts in six innings. Raley's second strikeout came swinging in the fourth inning with two on and two outs and Seattle trailing 3-0. Raley drew a walk off reliever Scott Barlow in the seventh inning in his final plate appearance. The AL West-leading Mariners (44-32) and the AL Central-leading Guardians (45-26) will meet in the series rubber match this afternoon. Raley still plays the game with the same passion and mentality helped him star at Highland, where he batted .568 with eight home runs and 50 RBIs as a senior in 2013. "The thing that I love as much as anything is he still approaches the game the same way he did when he was in high school," said Hornets baseball coach Jay Grissom, who attended Tuesday and Wednesday's games and plans to attend today's game as well. "He plays really hard, he's willing to bunt, he can hit for power and what he can do defensively, it's all translated at every level that he's played at." With Raley's mother Beth organizing, roughly 100 friends and family in the left-field bleachers gave him rousing ovations each time he ran out to his spot in the outfield just feet away. Many were adorned in Mariners gear with Raley's name and No. 20 on it. They were treated to a fond memory Tuesday, when the 6-foot-4, 235-pound left-handed slugger belted an opposite-field home run just over the railing in front of the left-field bleachers. Defying the odds, the ball headed right toward Raley's uncle, Scott Profitt, who had the ball in both hands before it slipped and fell to the warning track. It was Raley's first home run in Cleveland. "I wanted to catch it, but it was moving pretty good and had a little bit of a slice on it," Profitt said. "I started to reach over the railing, and for about one-half of a second I'm like, 'What if I get called for fan interference and rob him of a home run?' "My hand is a little sore and tight today," he added with a chuckle. "I can't really make a fist." Raley made sure to give his uncle, who is the father of former Highland standout athletes Bryce (football/basketball) and Marlee Profitt (basketball), an adequate hard time. "At first I didn't even know that my aunt and uncle were sitting right there," Raley said. "So, when I came back out to left field the next inning, they were yelling at me and I looked up. My uncle said, 'It was right in my hands.' "We got a good laugh out of it and let him know every Thanksgiving it's going to be brought up." Profitt's wife Laura, who is the sister of Beth Raley, added to the good-natured ribbing of Scott on Facebook after the game. "This is going to be a story told at many family functions for years and years," she said. "What are the odds that he would hit an opposite field HR to a family member and he drops it?? Priceless and Go Lucas!!" Scott Profitt was able to get the ball after a ballpark attendant tossed it into the stands. One of Raley's former Lake Erie College teammates told the story to the fan who ended up with the ball and got it back. Profitt also pointed out that despite there being dozens of family members around, he was the only one brave enough to go after the ball. "I did say to everyone, 'Did you notice I was the only one that went for the ball?"' he said. "My wife was next to me, there were people behind me and when the ball started coming, everyone scattered except for me." Scott and Laura Profitt were shown on the Guardians' broadcast during Raley's first at-bat on Wednesday, a strikeout looking in the second inning. Raley went 2-for-5 Tuesday, adding a single that aided in Seattle scoring Ty France on a Mitch Garver fielder's choice that retired Raley. He also made a fantastic diving catch going into foul territory on a Will Brennan hit and was also ejected for the first time in his career for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Hunter Wendlestedt in the ninth inning. Raley is now hitting .256 with eight home runs, 20 RBIs and 25 runs. In 11 career games against Cleveland, Raley is 8-for-31 (.258) with two doubles, two home runs, five runs and two RBIs. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.