Mariners 2-0 Athletics (September 27, 2024) Match Recap

SEATTLE — — Cal Raleigh hit his 32nd home run, Bryan Woo struck out eight in five innings and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Oakland Athletics 2-0 on Friday night.

Mitch Garver also homered for the Mariners, a day after Seattle was eliminated from postseason contention. Oakland also had an emotional day after playing its last scheduled home game at the Coliseum, a 3-2 win over Texas.

Woo (9-3) allowed just three hits and a walk.

“It’s been a bit of a strange 24 hours,” Woo said. “Knowing that you are no longer there, but still want to finish strong. For yourself, for the team, for the fans, for everyone. Everyone deserves yours and so you have to find it within yourself to give it everything you have.

He has 101 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings this season. This was the seventh time in his 22 starts that he did not allow a run.

“He had five really strong today,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “What an incredible season for another of our young starters. I thought he had a great year and pitched well tonight.”

Oakland starter JP Sears (11-13) allowed two runs on four hits in six innings.

The Mariners opened the final three-game series of the season after seeing their playoff hopes officially end on a bad day, as they watched the Royals and Tigers both win and eliminate Seattle in a wild-card battle.

The Mariners led the AL West by 10 games in June before falling into a skid and seeing the division lead disappear in a month. A late surge gave Seattle some slight postseason hope, which was ultimately extinguished Thursday.

Still, the crowd of 41,429 was relatively optimistic, especially when Garver gave Seattle a 1-0 lead with his 15th homer to start the second inning.

Raleigh added another run with his home run to center field in the third inning. Raleigh leads Major League catchers with 32 home runs.

“Garv really crushed it, Cal crushed it,” Wilson said. “Those were big hits and gave us what we needed tonight. Our pitching was really strong.”

Mariners relievers Gabe Speier, Gregory Santos, Tayler Saucedo and Troy Taylor each pitched an inning in Seattle’s 15th shutout of the season, with Taylor getting his first career save.

“That’s a big deal for him,” Wilson said. “He’s been given some higher leverage situations and he’s been able to handle them. You have to love that from an early age. He’s also one of those guys who really wants the ball in those situations, and that’s a good sign.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

The A’s recovered RHP Ross Stripling from the IL for the game. Stripling had been on the 15-day IL since September 11 due to a lower back strain. Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said Stripling would pitch out of the bullpen at some point in the series.

Seattle will call up RHP Emerson Hancock (4-4, 4.72 ERA) from Triple-A to start Saturday against Oakland. Hancock has made 11 starts for Seattle this season, most recently on September 21 against Texas. The Athletics would start RHP Joey Estes (7-9, 4.99 ERA).

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