Bryan Woo returns to form and the Mariners come from 2-0 down to win and close the gap on the Astros at the top of the AL West.
Such is the unpredictability that accompanies being a Seattle Mariners fan, there were those who wondered if the team would follow up 28 combined runs in the past two games by being shut out on Monday night. And for a while versus the St. Louis Cardinals the M’s lineup couldn’t get anything going, as they had their first nine batters retired.
Any concern was only intensified when the Cardinals took the lead in the top of the fourth through a two-run homer from Alec Burleson. And even though the Mariners ended their hitting drought in the bottom of the inning, they still found themselves trailing 2-0 through five.
Mariners come alive in the sixth inning
However, as unpredictable and erratic as this Mariners team can be, what is undeniable is their collective mental fortitude. And they finally gave the fans a glimpse of the offensive barrage in Atlanta, as the lineup exploded for four runs to take a 4-2 lead during the sixth inning.
First, the M’s managed to finally get Miles Mikolas out of the game as a result of a Leo Rivas walk and Randy Arozarena single to begin the bottom of the sixth. A Cal Raleigh walk off Mikolas’ replacement Gordon Graxeffo then loaded the bases with no outs, and the stage was set.
The scorching hot Julio RodrÃguez got things going with a RBI single which brought Rivas home and pulled the M’s to within 2-1. Then Josh Naylor gave the home side their first lead of the night with a two-RBI double, to make it 3-2 to the good guys.
Naylor has been a revelation since arriving in Seattle from Arizona ahead of the trade deadline and he subsequently continued to repay the faith in him, by stealing third base. This proved crucial as it set the stage for him to score the Mariners’ fourth run courtesy of a sacrifice fly to deep right field by Jorge Polanco.
Bryan Woo back to his iron man ways
Of course it takes more than just scoring runs to win, and Monday night saw the welcome return of the Bryan Woo who has been the Mariners’ staff ace for most of this season. Following two substandard outings by his lofty standards in 2025, he went 6.0 innings and allowed just three hits, no walks and the aforementioned two earned runs, while also tying a career-high with nine strikeouts.
Once Woo left the game, the M’s were able to turn things over to the bullpen to close the deal. Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo both pitched clean innings, while Andrés Muñoz overcame a one-out walk, to strike out the required final two batters and record his 33rd save of the season, which is third-most in the majors.
Dan Wilson talks about the team’s confidence in adversity
Postgame, Mariners manager Dan Wilson discussed the confidence the team maintained to get back into the game even though the lineup did little early on. He said:
“Offensively we know we can strike and strike quickly. Throughout the ballgame we weren’t scoring early. Our guys, the energy was there. We knew we were going to continue to be in this game and that’s why it’s so important for Bryan Woo to keep it to two runs and the bullpen after that. We knew we were going to be able to score.”
Wilson also talked about the cerebral aspect Naylor brings to the team, using the example of his key steal of third base prior to scoring the fourth run in the sixth inning. He said:
“He’s just a smart guy. … You know being able to get a good lead there, he got a little bit of a jump and they kind of stopped it, but then didn’t react to it too much and he just took advantage and kept going. It’s just a headsy play, it’s an aggressive play that really set up a huge insurance run for us. That’s the way he sees the game. Any advantage you’re going to give him, he’s going to take it.”
Woo also spoke to the media and was asked to discuss the difference on Monday night, compared to his frustration from his two previous outings. He said:
“I hate to say it’s all based on results, but if we lose 2-0 I’m probably just as frustrated. … I think I’m going to be tough on myself no matter what. I’m going to try and be better about that, but it’s more just like you hold yourself to a high standard and there’s certain things you get mad about and certain things you know you can do better. Like tonight I was awful getting ahead on the first pitch and stuff like that (I need) to get better at and build on. But there were also pitches I put guys away on and better things like that. There’s good and bad in every game.”
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Mariners never lost faith in themselves
Woo was also asked about how the team dealt with their tough stretches on the last two road trips, which led to plenty of panic within the fanbase. he said:
“You’re going to have stretches where you’re great and you’re going to have stretches where you just suck and it’s just it is what it is, but as long as guys are going about things the right way you keep a positive energy about you every day. I think that’s the biggest thing everybody kind of panics late in the year when you run into those tough stretches, whether it’s late August or early September. No one in that clubhouse felt like we were in trouble at all. It’s kind of like just keep showing up every day, keep doing the right things every day and you’ll find your way out of those (bad stretches).”
With the 4-2 win the Mariners improve to 76-68, pull to within 2.0 games of the Astros at the top of the AL West and hold a 1.5 game advantage for the third and final wild card spot. George Kirby will take the ball on Tuesday night against the Cardinals and hope to rebound from his worst outing of the season last time out, when he went a career-low 2.0 innings after allowing 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in a 9-4 loss to the Rays.
Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography
How much has Naylor meant to the Mariners since arriving from Arizona? What do you think it will take to get him signed to a new deal to remain in Seattle past this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
