George Kirby found his rhythm and gave the Mariners exactly the kind of start they needed in the middle of a playoff push.
On a warm night against a Phillies lineup that usually makes pitchers work for every out, Kirby reached 99 mph with his fastball and carved through the order for 7 2/3 innings. He gave up one run on six hits, struck out nine and powered Seattle to a 4-1 win.
The outing was a sharp rebound after two rough starts on the Mariners’ last road trip. Kirby finished just an out shy of his season high of eight innings, a mark he has reached twice this year, and moved to 9-10 with his ERA dropping to 4.02.
Seattle’s bullpen finished the job from there. José Ferrer got the final out of the eighth, and Andrés Muñoz worked around two walks in the ninth to pick up his 24th save.
The win gave the Mariners a second straight series victory and helped them gain ground in the standings. Texas, which entered the day leading the AL West, fell 11-7 to the Chicago White Sox, while the Houston Astros beat the New York Yankees 9-7 to move into a half-game lead over the Rangers. Seattle’s win pulled the Mariners to within 2 1/2 games in both the division race and the American League wild card chase.
The Mariners are 4-1 on their current homestand after taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
Seattle will try to complete a sweep of the Phillies on Wednesday, when Bryan Woo starts the 1:10 p.m. series finale. Mariners Radio Network coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at noon with the pregame show.
After that, the Mariners get Thursday off before opening a six-game road trip Friday that runs through Toronto and Boston. The Red Sox are the only remaining team on Seattle’s regular season schedule that currently has a winning record.
In Other News...
Mariners May Have Found One Pitcher Who Solves Two Problems
The Mariners have been doing their homework in Japan, and Kaima Taira is the kind of name that fits the clubs needs on more than one level. The Saitama Seibu Lions right-hander has put together a strong season in Nippon Professional Baseball, leading the league with a 1.46 ERA, while also showing the kind of role flexibility front offices love to find in an international arm.
What makes Taira especially intriguing from Seattles perspective is the way he can straddle both sides of the pitching conversation. He has worked as both a starter and a reliever, giving the Mariners a possible bullpen option now and a longer-term rotation possibility down the line, which is exactly the sort of depth piece that can matter over the grind of a season. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Suddenly Have A Shot At Familiar Help They Desperately Need
The Mariners suddenly find themselves with a familiar option as they try to patch one of their thinnest spots. Cincinnati placed Eugenio Surez on waivers, and Seattle is reportedly in a strong position to claim him if it decides to pursue the move. Surez has not had the kind of season that once made him a difference-maker, but the need in Seattle is real, with injuries leaving the club looking for help at third base.
What makes this possibility worth watching is the chance to address a problem without waiting for a perfect market to develop. The Mariners standing gives them a favorable path to win the claim, which means the decision may come down less to logistics than to whether they believe Surez can still provide enough stability to matter. For a club trying to stay afloat while covering for injuries, even an imperfect reunion could carry some appeal. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Suddenly Have A Reunion Decision They Can't Wait On
Eugenio Surez landing on waivers has quickly turned into the kind of roster wrinkle contenders have to weigh carefully, and the Mariners are very much in that group. With a playoff push in full swing, Seattle is reportedly considering a claim on the former Mariner, a move that would bring back a familiar power bat at a time when every upgrade matters.
Surezs season has been uneven, but there are signs he has started to find something again, especially in August, when his production picked up and he recently uncorked a grand slam. For a Mariners team looking to squeeze every bit of offense out of the final stretch, the question is whether this reunion is worth acting on now, before another club gets there first. [Read more 🡒]