Woo pitches 6-inning gem, Mariners blank Athletics
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Bryan Woo and three relievers combined on a two-hit shutout, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 2-0 on Thursday.
Woo, who grew up 10 minutes away from the Coliseum in Alameda, California, allowed two hits and struck out six in six innings. The 24-year-old threw a season-high 85 pitches and didn’t walk a batter while being cheered by friends and family in the stands.
“Wow, Bryan was awesome today,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “He was fantastic. What a season he’s putting together. Can’t throw the ball much better than he is right now. I actually thought he was throwing better in the fifth and sixth than he was early in the game.”
Woo has been strong and effective in his second season in the majors, relying primarily on his four-seam and two-seam fastballs. Woo extended his scoreless streak against the A’s to 21 1/3 innings while large sections of Mariners fans cheered.
“Honestly I think coming home you have to focus a little more just because you’re seeing family, you’re seeing friends, you look up in the stands and you see a lot of familiar faces,” said Woo after lowering his ERA to 1.07. “Sometimes it can actually throw you off a little bit. So you have to lock in a little bit more and be a little bit more focused on baseball.”
Woo’s only mistake came in his final inning when umpires ruled a pitch-clock violation before the first pitch of the frame.
“Just a little bit of confusion,” Woo said. “(Catcher Cal Raleigh) was telling me to hurry up and throw it. I wasn’t sure if he was giving me signs to throw something different. He wasn’t looking all the way and then I was making sure he knew I was throwing a fastball.”
Mitch Garver homered and had an RBI single for the AL West-leading Mariners, who have won nine of 11.
The A’s (25-39) were shut out for the fifth time this season in their sixth loss in eight games.
Woo (3-0) remained unbeaten after pitching out of a pair of early jams. Oakland got its leadoff batter to third base in the first two innings, but Woo retired the next three batters in order in both frames.
“We just couldn’t hit the heater,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I don’t know what it is about his fastball that gives us trouble.”
Austin Voth and Mike Baumann retired three batters each. Ryne Stanek, pitching the ninth while closer Andrés Muñoz recovers from a sore back, set the side down in order for his fourth save and completed the Mariners’ sixth shutout of the season.
Garver walked and scored in the third, hit an RBI single off A’s starter JP Sears in the fourth and then homered off T.J. McFarland leading off the ninth.
Seattle’s first two runs were scored by players who reached base without a hit.
Garver walked leading off the third and Victor Robles was hit by a pitch. After Ryan Bliss attempted to sacrifice the runners over and reached safely to load the bases, Dylan Moore’s sacrifice fly gave Seattle an early lead.
Cal Raleigh got hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, stole second and scored on Garver’s single.
Sears (4-5) matched his season-high of eight strikeouts in six innings. The A’s left-hander allowed three hits and two runs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: Manager Scott Servais is optimistic that Muñoz will not have to go on the injured list. Muñoz aggravated a back injury while covering home plate after throwing a wild pitch on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (5-5, 3.18 ERA) starts against the Royals in Kansas City on Friday. Miller is limiting opponents to a .192 batting average, eighth-best in the majors.
Athletics: LHP Hogan Harris (0-0. 3.14) faces the Blue Jays and former A’s ace Chris Bassitt (6-6, 4.13) at the Coliseum on Friday. Harris has allowed five earned runs in 14 1/3 innings this season.
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