SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants silenced the Mariners’ bats on Saturday night, thanks in large part to a familiar face.
Former Mariner and veteran lefty delivered six sharp innings for the San Francisco Giants, allowing just one run in a 4-1 win at Oracle Park. With the victory, the Giants secured the series and improved their impressive early-season record to 7-1.
The loss puts the Seattle Mariners (3-6) in danger of being swept on their first road trip of the season. They’ll send Bay Area native Bryan Woo to the mound Sunday in the finale, hoping to avoid a winless trip and salvage some momentum.
He was once a pivotal part of Seattle’s 2022 postseason run, held the Mariners to four hits and struck out two while working around five walks. He was traded to the Giants in January 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, in a deal that sent Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani back to Seattle.
Facing his former teammates for the first time, Robbie Ray stayed poised. “There’s a lot of good hitters over there,” he said postgame. “I knew I had to be sharp.”
The Mariners had an encouraging offensive output in Friday’s series opener — a wild, extra-innings loss in which they recorded 15 hits and drew seven walks. But that momentum didn’t carry over into Saturday. While they managed seven hits and six walks, Seattle continued to struggle in critical spots, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Through nine games, the team is now a dismal 7-for-58 (.121 average) in such situations.
“Those are always the toughest situations to hit in,” manager Dan Wilson said. “We’re just not executing yet, but I believe it’s coming.”
The heart of the Mariners’ lineup — Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena, Mitch Garver, and Donovan Solano — went a combined 1-for-15 with three walks and four strikeouts. The lone bright spot came from Dylan Moore, who launched a solo homer off Ray in the fifth. It was Moore’s second long ball of the season — both coming against former Cy Young winners.
Despite being aggressive on the basepaths — stealing two bags — the Mariners also ran themselves into trouble, getting caught stealing twice, both times on crafty pickoff moves by Ray.
“You’ve got to live with the highs and lows of baserunning,” Moore said. “That’s part of our DNA as a team. We’re not going to stop.”
Wilson agreed, saying the team will stick to its aggressive identity. “It’s how we play. You win some and lose some, but the mindset won’t change.”
On the mound for Seattle, Bryce Miller couldn’t find his rhythm. The right-hander allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks over 5.1 innings, striking out four. He struggled with command, particularly early in counts.
“I wasn’t ahead often enough, and I wasn’t finishing hitters,” Miller said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, and I didn’t attack. That’s on me.”
The Giants struck first in the fourth with back-to-back doubles from Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman, followed by a bloop RBI single from Mike Yastrzemski. Lee and Chapman struck again in the sixth, each singling before Wilmer Flores tacked on another run with a soft hit off reliever Trent Thornton.
One of the few silver linings for the Mariners was the return of Jesse Hahn, who made his first MLB appearance in four years. The 35-year-old, promoted from Triple-A earlier in the day, tossed two scoreless innings and struck out the first batter he faced.
Meanwhile, Ryan Walker, a local product from Arlington, Washington, closed the game for San Francisco with a clean ninth inning to earn the save.
With the Mariners on the brink of a sweep, all eyes will be on Woo — and the offense — in Sunday’s finale.
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