Bryce Miller sharp, Dylan Moore homers in Mariners’ win over Cardinals
ST. LOUIS – In calling on Dan Wilson and Edgar Martinez, the Mariners turned back the clock (hello, 1995) to try to inspire a turnaround with a team desperate some semblance of an offensive pulse.
Their back-to-basics theme has taken root with Mariners hitters, and it has this team back on track.
In a rare visit to St. Louis, Bryce Miller threw six scoreless inning and Mariners hitters struck out just five times in a 6-1 series-opening victory over the Cardinals on Friday night, posting a double-digit hit total for the third game in a row, the first time that’s happened all season.
Two full weeks into Wilson’s tenure as manager, the Mariners have an 8-6 record. Of more significance, though, they are starting to believe they’ve made a meaningful pivot as an offense.
“As a group, we simplified a bunch of stuff,” shortstop J.P. Crawford said in the Busch Stadium visitors clubhouse. “Everyone’s going into each at-bat just relaxed and calm and ready to do damage. We all have a plan, and these last couple games the plan’s been simple, and I think everyone’s bought into that.”
The breakthrough came Wednesday in Oakland in a 16-3 romp of the A’s. They followed that up with a 6-4 victory to salvage a series split in their last visit to Oakland Coliseum.
The Mariners added 11 hits Friday night – giving them 38 hits in the past three games, all victories, and three straight single-digit strikeout games.
Their five strikeouts Friday matched their lowest output in any game since May 17.
“Collectively, over the last couple months, we were going in with a plan that was way too complicated,” Crawford said. “These last couple weeks we simplified everything – just getting back to trusting yourself, trusting your hands, and just see-ball/hit-ball type of mentality.”
Crawford said Martinez, the Hall of Famer turned interim hitting coach, has been instrumental.
“He’s been huge. He’s been really good,” Crawford said. “He’s been helping everyone here, and he’s been helping me out these last couple days. The advice he gives is so simple, and it really works way better than anything else.”
At 72-70, the Mariners remain 4½ games back of the Astros in the AL West.
The Mariners are an MLB-leading 47-4 when scoring at least five runs this season.
Miller scattered three hits – all singles – with two walks and four strikeouts.
It’s his eighth start of the season in which he’s pitched at least six scoreless innings, tying Hisashi Iwakuma (2013) for most six-inning scoreless starts in franchise history.
Miller lowered his season ERA to 3.18.
Randy Arozarena helped the Mariners break a scoreless tie off Cardinals starter Erick Fedde with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, scoring Victor Robles.
Moore added his two-run blast off Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore, turning on an inside fastball and sending a line-drive blast over the wall in left field.
It was Moore’s 10th homer of the season, first since July 26 at the Chicago White Sox, and his eighth on the road.
The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker hit a two-out solo homer off Mariners rookie reliever Troy Taylor in the seventh.
In the ninth, Mitch Haniger doubled, Julio Rodriguez hit a bloop single and Cal Raleigh followed with a two-run double to extend the lead to 5-1.
Luke Raley added an RBI single to score Raleigh to make it 6-1.
This is the Mariners’ first visit to Busch Stadium since 2013 and just the club’s fourth trip to St. Louis in franchise history.