Mariners Greatest Hits: The Left Fielder Raul Ibanez

Jul 4, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez (28) runs to first after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 4, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez (28) runs to first after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Jul 12, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez (28) hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the 4th inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 12, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez (28) hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the 4th inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /

September 22nd, 2004

When a player bats .304 in a season, they are usually the best hitter on their team. However, in the case of the 2004 Mariners, Ibanez was not just the 2nd best hitter on the team, his play looked average compared to Ichiro.

During the 2004 season, Ichiro broke George Sisler’s single-season hit record with 262 knocks while having a .372 batting average which happens to be the 7th best in baseball since 1947.

But Ibanez was always a workhorse not looking for fame, he wanted to do whatever he could do help the team win.

In this late September game in 2004, he tried his very best. In attempting to do so, he would make team history, and be one of a few dozen players to reach this particular mark.

Facing the Los Angeles Angels on their home turf, Ibanez would have a perfect day at the plate, beating the would-be hitting champion and his teammate who went 4-6.

More from SoDo Mojo

With singles in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, Ibanez started the day 4-4 with three RBIs. He finished the day off with another two-RBI single in the 6th and capped off the day with his 6th base knock of the day in as many at-bats in the 8th inning.

He is the only player in Mariners history to record more than five hits in a single game, and that’s without looking at his 1.000 batting percentage. He also became one of 68 people in the history of the game to have at least six hits and a perfect batting average. Of those 68 men, only 17 others had five or more runs batted in during the same game.

When he started the game the next day with three consecutive hits, he also set the record for most hits in a row in team history with nine.

Suffice it to say, this was one of the best hitting displays in the franchise’s history and that the league has ever seen.

Our next pick continues with Ibanez’s hitting success.