George Kirby dominant again as Mariners knock off Braves 3-1
One of the most effective pitches the Mariners have on their pitching staff — a pitch that could very well determine their postseason fortunes over the next three weeks — didn’t even exist a couple months ago.
Before this summer, George Kirby had never thrown a two-seam fastball.
Could’ve fooled the Atlanta Braves.
In perhaps the most daunting start of his rookie season, Kirby used the two-seamer to great effect in the Mariners’ thrilling 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night at T-Mobile Park.
To close out a seven-pitch battle, Kirby struck out Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta’s star slugger, swinging through a 95 mph two-seamer to end the sixth inning. Kirby punched his glove a couple times and hopped off the mound in a mute celebration after six shutout innings.
In six-plus innings of work, Kirby allowed just three hits — plus one unearned run in the seventh inning — with six strikeouts and no walks, helping the Mariners (78-61) extend their lead to five games over Baltimore for the final American League wild-card spot.
Kirby, in 21 starts this season, is 7-3 with a 2.98 ERA. In his last 11 starts, he has allowed just 13 earned runs in 58.2 innings (1.99 ERA) with 66 strikeouts and seven walks.
He has not allowed a home run in his past 11 starts either.
The Braves (87-52) lost for the first time in September, ending their eight-game winning streak.
Sam Haggerty broke a scoreless tie with a home run off Atlanta left-hander Max Fried on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning. It was Haggerty’s fifth home run of the season.
Haggerty also made two impressive catches in foul territory in left field — one a circus catch as he was falling onto his backside, and the other a sliding catch near the short wall — as he continues to state his case for a more regular role in the lineup.
Eugenio Suarez added a solo home run in the sixth inning to straightaway center field, his team-leading 28th of the season.
It’s the first time this season Fried has allowed more than one home run in a start. He had given up just two home runs total in his previous 14 starts.
Julio Rodriguez added an RBI double off Jesse Chavez in the seventh inning to extend the Mariners’ lead to 3-1.
Kirby, at 81 pitches, did come back out to pitch the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff single to Dansby Swanson. Austin Riley followed with a hard chopper to short that could have been an easy double play, but a high bounce caught J.P. Crawford by surprise and the ball scooted off his glove into center field.
That ended Kirby’s night.
Andres Munoz came out of the bullpen and got Matt Olson, the Braves’ cleanup hitter, to ground into a slow fielder’s choice. That scored Atlanta’s first — and only — run.
Munoz retired Travis d’Arnaud on a weak tapper in front of the plate and struck out Michael Harris swinging to end the seventh.
Erik Swanson pitched a perfect eighth inning and Paul Sewald picked up his 19th save by retiring the top of the Atlanta lineup in order in the ninth.