Mariners end Braves' unbeaten series streak as Bryan Woo strikes out 9 in 3-1 victory
Bryan Woo tied his season best with nine strikeouts in six scoreless innings, Julio Rodríguez homered, and the Seattle Mariners beat Atlanta 3-1 on Wednesday to hand the Braves their first series loss of the season.
Atlanta had won eight consecutive series and was 10-0-1 this season. The Braves became just the fifth team in the Wild Card era (since 1995) to go unbeaten in at least 11 straight series to open a season, joining the LA Dodgers (2020, 13 series), Arizona (2018, 12), Baltimore (1997, 14) and Philadelphia (1995, 12).
Woo (1-2) allowed one hit, walked two and threw a season-high 98 pitches, 66 strikes. José A. Ferrer pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
Cole Young went 3 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI. Jhonny Pereda was 2 for 2.
Pereda led off the third with a single, Leo Rivas doubled and J.P. Crawford walked to load the bases before Pereda opened the scoring when Cal Raleigh grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
Rodríguez hit a 436-foot shot to center field that made it 2-0 in the sixth.
Braves starter Martín Pérez (2-2) gave up two runs and five hits and had five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Seattle reliever Eduard Bazardo came on to start the eighth inning and gave up back-to-back singles to Mike Yastrzemski and Sean Murphy, who was replaced by pinch-runner Jorge Mateo. Yastrzemski scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Dominic Smith to make it a one-run game.
After a Seattle challenge and replay review, Bazardo picked off Mateo at first before Drake Baldwin singled and Ozzie Albies struck out to end the inning.
Both teams are off Thursday. Braves LHP Chris Sale (6-1, 2.14) pitches Friday against Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (2-1, 5.23) to kickoff a three-game series in Los Angeles. Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (2-1, 2.59 ERA) starts Friday against White Sox RHP Sean Burke (2-2, 2.72) in Chicago to open a three-game set.
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