Bryan Woo Shines as Mariners Top Rangers
In a thrilling game on Sunday afternoon, Bryan Woo delivered a standout performance, pitching seven strong innings to secure his first win of the season. The Seattle Mariners capitalized on this effort with three home runs, ultimately defeating the visiting Texas Rangers 5-2.
The Mariners’ offense was led by Rob Refsnyder, J.P. Crawford, and Randy Arozarena, who each hit home runs. Their victory marked a successful series against their American League West rivals, as they managed to take two out of three games.
Woo, who entered the game with a record of 1-2, showcased his dominance by allowing just two runs on four hits. He also recorded one walk and six strikeouts. In the ninth inning, Andres Munoz closed out the game with three strikeouts, securing his third save of the season. His final out came when Evan Carter grounded out to first base after a wild pitch.
The Rangers’ Brandon Nimmo got off to a quick start, hitting Woo’s first pitch of the game into right field for a single. However, the inning ended quickly when Wyatt Langford grounded into a double play. The Rangers didn’t have another baserunner until Josh Smith’s one-out single in the sixth inning.
Texas finally broke through against Woo in the seventh inning. Corey Seager led off with a walk, followed by Langford’s single to left. With one out, Joc Pederson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Josh Jung’s sacrifice fly to right field made it 5-2, and Carter’s double into the right field corner extended the lead. Woo then got Smith to ground out to second, ending the inning.
On the other side, the Rangers’ left-hander MacKenzie Gore (2-2) struggled, giving up five runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out five. Notably, Gore had not allowed a hit on his curveball in his first four starts of the season, but he gave up four hits on that pitch during this game, including home runs from Crawford and Arozarena.
Refsnyder, who had been struggling at the plate with a 0-for-18 record this season, turned things around in the bottom of the first inning. He hit Gore’s first-pitch fastball over the left field wall, marking the game’s first run.
The Mariners continued to build their lead in the second inning. Mitch Garver drew a leadoff walk, and one out later, Crawford hit a home run to right field, making it 3-0. In the fifth inning, Julio Rodriguez lined a single to left, and Arozarena followed with a home run off the left field pole, extending the lead to 5-0.
This victory highlights the team’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure. With key contributions from both their pitching and batting lineups, the Mariners demonstrated why they remain a competitive force in the American League.
