SEATTLE (AP) — Bryan Woo pitched seven strong innings, and the Seattle Mariners capitalized on two hit batters in the sixth to score twice and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Sunday, Aug. 25.
The game was tied at 2-2 when Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch leading off the sixth. Justin Turner singled and Jorge Polanco was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Arozarena scored when Mitch Haniger hit into a double play, and Josh Rojas’ single drove in another run to make it 4-2.
The Mariners got their first series win since sweeping the New York Mets on Aug. 11, and the first of Dan Wilson’s managerial career. They had fired longtime manager Scott Servais after a 1-8 road trip and badly needed a series victory.
“It was a big, big weekend for us,” catcher Cal Raleigh said. “We needed that, and I think the boys are pretty happy.”
Woo (6-2) allowed a two-run homer to Heliot Ramos in the first inning, but retired each of the next eight batters, and 12 of the next 13.
Woo allowed three singles over the next six innings, but didn’t allow another runner to reach second base. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts.
“Bryan Woo was tremendous today,” Wilson said. “The homer in the first inning, you know, I think when you try to get to good pitchers, you try to get to them early, and they were able to get him that one time early. But after that, wow. That was special.”
Woo has pitched into the seventh inning in five straight starts. Woo has a 1.59 ERA over 34 innings in that span with 31 strikeouts and three walks.
“It’s kind of opened up a new, maybe part of my game,” Woo said. “… I think I’ve always tried to be that guy of getting in late, late into ballgames, and being able to find that, as of recently, has been awesome.”
Raleigh drove in Seattle’s first run with an RBI single off Giants’ starter Robbie Ray in the bottom of the first. Ray didn’t allow another hit, but was removed from the game with left hamstring tightness prior to the fourth inning, with Sean Hjelle (3-4) coming on in relief.
Ray struck out four and walked three batters over three innings.
Julio Rodríguez tied the game at 2-2 when he drove in Rojas on a fielder’s choice grounder in the fifth inning.
Grant McCray hit a solo homer for the Giants in the eighth off Collin Snider.
Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth for his 19th save in the 2,000th regular-season game in T-Mobile Park history, which opened on July 15, 1999.
“We pitched well enough to keep ourselves in games, we just couldn’t get a big hit here,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Granted, that’s two pretty good pitchers in the last two innings, but we at least had an opportunity to at least tie it.”
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Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (9-7, 3.32 ERA) will pitch Monday against Tampa Bay RHP Ryan Pepiot (7-5, 3.65 ERA).
