The game was decided before the first inning was over. Seattle scored three times in the bottom of the first and Bryan Woo made sure that was more than enough, delivering a seven-inning, nine-strikeout gem in a 3-0 Mariners win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.
Woo was the story from the second inning on. He allowed just three hits and one walk over seven innings, striking out nine without allowing a run. He threw 89 pitches and left with a comfortable lead intact, improving to 6-5 with a 3.94 ERA. Andres Munoz closed it out in the ninth, issuing two walks but allowing nothing to score, earning his 12th save of the season.
The offense did its damage early. Josh Naylor scored on Cole Young's double to left, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Colt Emerson singled to right, scoring both Dominic Canzone and Young to push the lead to 3-0. That was the entire scoring summary. Young finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. Emerson drove in two on a 1-for-2 night.
Shane Baz absorbed the loss for Baltimore, falling to 4-7. He matched Woo's strikeout total with nine of his own over seven innings but allowed all five Seattle hits and all three runs, carrying a 3.94 ERA. The Orioles managed only three hits on the night and never threatened to score.
Seattle moved to 38-37, holding the division's top spot. Baltimore fell to 35-40. Woo is now 20 strikeouts away from 500 in his career.