SEATTLE (AP) — Dylan Moore hit a two-run homer and had a career-high five RBIs to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Friday night.
While the Mariners rebounded to open a brief homestand after losing three of four in Minnesota, the immediate concern was around starting pitcher Bryan Woo after he left with one out in the fifth inning.
Making his first start of the season after being slowed by elbow soreness during spring training, Woo was lifted for precautionary reasons due to tightness in his right arm. Woo allowed just one hit through the first four innings only to leave the game after getting Tyler Soderstrom to foul out behind third base to open the fifth.
Woo struck out three and walked one, and threw 62 pitches. The tightness developed following a long stint on the bench as the Mariners scored five times in the fourth inning of Oakland starter Paul Blackburn.
Manager Scott Servais said they expect Woo to make his next start and he was thrilled with what he saw from the young righty before leaving.
“He was awesome,” Servais said. “Thought he threw the ball really well. When he came out there for the fifth inning, it was a long inning — we put the runs up before that — and it was just tight. It wasn’t loose and there is no point in pushing it right now.”
Trent Thornton (1-1), Kirby Snead and Cody Bolton kept the shutout going until the ninth when Lawrence Butler’s two-out RBI single off Austin Voth plated Oakland’s only run.
After cruising through the first three innings, Blackburn (3-2) ran into trouble immediately in the fourth walking Mitch Haniger and Cal Raleigh.
Luke Raley barely missed a three-run homer and settled for an RBI double off the top of the wall. Ty France lined a two-run double and Moore hit his third homer of the season just inside the foul pole in left.
Moore followed an inning later with a two-out, two-run single to give the Mariners a 7-0 lead. He added an RBI single to score Raley in the seventh. Moore has been playing nearly every day with J.P. Crawford currently on the injured list with an oblique strain and said the consistent at-bats are leading to results at the plate.
“It’s just easier to be on time with the fastball. That’s pretty much number one, which is kind of like the basis of hitting, you could say. Try to be on time for the fastest pitch they throw,” Moore said. “Playing every day makes it easier when you’re seeing heaters every day.”
Seattle has won 13 of the past 14 games against the A’s dating to the start of last season.
Blackburn was tagged for all seven runs and was roughed up for a second time in three starts after giving up six earned runs over four innings to Baltimore on April 28. In his other five starts this season, Blackburn has allowed eight earned runs in 38 innings pitched.
“Thought he might be able to pitch around it. Gave some balls up to Raleigh and France which hurt him, and Moore seems kind of kryptonite for us,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “Every time he is in the lineup, it seems like we have trouble getting him out.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: IF Zack Gelof (oblique) will be in the lineup for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday as he begins a rehab assignment. Gelof has been out since late April.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Joey Estes is expected to be recalled from Las Vegas to make his first start of the season. Estes made two starts last September, including one against Seattle when he allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (3-2, 2.61) has pitched at least six innings of five of seven starts this season and has yet to allow more than four earned runs.
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Mariners’ top reliever Matt Brash to miss the rest of season after Tommy John surgery
SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners’ right-hander Matt Brash, one of the top relievers in the American League last season, underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this week and will miss the entire 2024 season, Seattle general manager Justin Hollander said Friday.
Brash had not pitched in the majors this season after experiencing discomfort in his elbow during spring training. He initially attempted to rehab the injury without the need for surgery, but last month experienced a setback just before going out on a rehab assignment.
Hollander said after meeting with Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, the decision was made to have the surgery on Wednesday.
“To have his season go away like this stinks for him. Stinks for us,” Hollander said. “Probably one of the most popular players in the organization among his teammates, among staff members.”
Hollander said Brash had a partial tear in the posterior area of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, an area of the ligament that’s difficult to rehabilitate without surgery. Brash was able to pitch without issue despite the tear until he started to experience pain while throwing last month.
Hollander said the hope is Brash could be back pitching for the Mariners sometime in late spring or early summer of next season. Meister also placed a brace in Brash’s elbow in the hope of speeding up the UCL recovery. The brace is separate from the internal brace surgery the likes of Spencer Strider have undergone to repair elbow issues.
Brash led all of baseball with 78 appearances last season and posted a 9-4 record with a 3.04 ERA. He struck out 107 batters in 70 2/3 innings, often using a wipe out slider that’s made him one of the more difficult relievers to face.
Brash started his career with Seattle in 2022 as a starter before transitioning to the bullpen. He has appeared in 117 games over the previous two seasons and is the latest name to join the growing list of players sidelined by elbow issues this year, including Strider, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber, the New York Yankees’ Jonathan Loáisiga, Miami’s Eury Pérez and Oakland’s Trevor Gott.
“I would put him up as one of the top relievers in the league,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “It’s probably the most unique breaking ball. It’s the breaking ball everybody talks about in the league; Matt Brash’s slider. It’s just a wipe out pitch. When you don’t have a weapon like that you have to manipulate through a bullpen a little differently. He’s a great security blanket to have when you map out a plan each night.”
The Mariners have been without two of their top relievers since spring training. Brash was sidelined with his elbow issues and Gregory Santos has been out due to a lat strain. Hollander said Santos had a small setback in his recovery, and after a brief break has resumed throwing out to about 90 feet. But the setback means it will likely be July before Santos pitches in a game for the Mariners.
While the news on pitchers was mixed, the Mariners could be close to getting two position players back. Outfielder Dominic Canzone (shoulder) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, while shortstop J.P. Crawford (oblique) is likely to start a rehab assignment either this weekend or early next week.
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