Seattle Mariners Prevail over Oakland Athletics in a Nail-Biting Shutout Win

Cal Raleigh and Bryan Woo Deliver Exceptional Performances

Friday night witnessed a stellar performance from Cal Raleigh, who smashed his 32nd homer, and Bryan Woo, who confidently struck out eight in five innings, leading the Seattle Mariners to a triumphant 2-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Mitch Garver added to the thrill with yet another home run for the Mariners, just a day after the team was struck off the postseason list.

The Athletics were also dealing with their own emotional rollercoaster, having just played their last scheduled home game at the Coliseum, where they celebrated a 3-2 win against Texas. Despite these circumstances, Woo (9-3) showcased his prowess, allowing only three hits and a walk.

Woo Reflects on His Performance and the Season

“It’s been an unusual 24 hours,” Woo confessed candidly. “Knowing you’re no longer in contention, yet you still want to put forth your best. It’s about you, the team, the fans, everyone. They all deserve your best effort and so you have to dig deep to give it everything you have.” Woo has been impressive this season, with 101 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings. He’s managed to keep his opponents scoreless in seven of his 22 starts this season.

Mariners’ manager, Dan Wilson praised Woo’s performance, “He was solid for five innings today. We’ve seen an incredible season from another one of our young starters. He’s had a great year and his performance tonight was commendable.”

Mariners Launch into Final Series with Determination

In spite of the end of their playoff dreams, the Mariners approached the final three-game series with determination. Earlier in the season, they had a lead of 10 games in the AL West in June, which later dissipated over a month due to a slump. However, a later surge of energy gave Seattle a glimmer of postseason hope that was finally dashed on Thursday.

The crowd of 41,429 remained remarkably positive, particularly when Garver smacked his 15th homer in the second inning, putting Seattle in the lead. Raleigh further bolstered the lead with his home run in the third inning. Raleigh now tops the major league catchers’ chart with his 32 homers.

Mariners’ Bullpen Holds Strong, Scores 15th Shutout of the Season

Mariners relievers Gabe Speier, Gregory Santos, Tayler Saucedo and Troy Taylor each pitched an inning in Seattle’s 15th shutout of the season. Taylor scored his first career save, drawing praise from Wilson. “That’s a significant achievement for him. He’s been entrusted with some high-pressure situations and he’s handled them well. It’s encouraging to see such resilience from a young player.”

A’s Trainer’s Room Update

The A’s welcomed back RHP Ross Stripling from the IL before the game. He had been on the 15-day IL since Sept. 11 due to a lower back strain. Oakland’s manager, Mark Kotsay, announced that Stripling would be pitching out of the bullpen at some point during the series.

Upcoming Game Preview

Saturday’s game will see the Mariners call upon RHP Emerson Hancock (4-4, 4.72 ERA) from Triple-A to start against Oakland. Hancock has had 11 starts for Seattle this season, his most recent being on September 21 against Texas. The Athletics have announced RHP Joey Estes (7-9, 4.99 ERA) as their starting pitcher.