Raleigh, Garver homer to help Mariners beat Athletics, 2-0

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his 32nd homer, Bryan Woo struck out eight in five innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 2-0 on Friday night.

Mitch Garver also homered for the Mariners, a day after Seattle was eliminated from postseason contention. Oakland also was coming off an emotional day after playing its final scheduled home game at the Coliseum, a 3-2 victory over Texas.

Woo (9-3) allowed just three hits and a walk.

“It was kind of a weird 24 hours,” Woo said. “Knowing you’re out of it, but you still want to finish strong. For yourself, for the team, for the fans, for everybody. Everybody else deserves that out of you and so you’ve got to find it in yourself to give it everything you have.”

He has 101 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings this season. This was the seventh time in his 22 starts he did not allow a run.

“He had five really strong today,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “What an incredible season for another one of our young starters. I thought he had a great year, and threw the ball well tonight.”

Oakland starter JP Sears (11-13) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings.

The Mariners opened the final three-game series of the season after seeing their playoff hopes officially end on an off day, watching as the Royals and Tigers both won to knock out Seattle from wild-card contention.

The Mariners led the AL West by 10 games in June before hitting a skid and seeing the division lead evaporate over a month. A late surge gave Seattle some slight postseason hope that was finally extinguished Thursday.

Despite that, the crowd of 41,429 was relatively upbeat, especially when Garver gave Seattle a 1-0 lead with his 15th homer to lead off the second inning.

Raleigh added another run with his home run to center field in the third inning. Raleigh leads major league catchers with the 32 homers.

“Garv really crushed it, Cal crushed it,” Wilson said. “Those were big knocks and gave us what we needed tonight. Our pitching was really, really strong.”

Mariners relievers Gabe Speier, Gregory Santos, Tayler Saucedo and Troy Taylor each pitched an inning in Seattle’s 15th shutout of the season, with Taylor getting his first career save.

“That’s a big deal for him,” Wilson said. “He’s been given some higher leverage situations, and he’s been able to handle them. You’ve got to love that from a young kid. He’s another guy that really wants the ball in those situations, and that’s a good sign.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

The A’s reinstated RHP Ross Stripling from the IL before the game. Stripling had been on the 15-day IL since Sept. 11 because of a lower back strain. Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said Stripling would pitch out of the bullpen at some point in the series.

UP NEXT

Seatle will call up RHP Emerson Hancock (4-4, 4.72 ERA) from Triple-A to start Saturday against Oakland. Hancock has made 11 starts for Seattle this season, most recently on September 21 against Texas. The Athletics were set to start RHP Joey Estes (7-9, 4.99 ERA).

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Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker watches the game from the dugout railing during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver, left, greets center fielder Julio Rodríguez, second from left, as they celebrate a 2-0 win over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo gets a hug from pitcher George Kirby during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

A fan wears a "sell" shirt as Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears warms up on the mound before facing the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The Mariner Moose runs in a hippo costume as "Moose Deng" in between innings of a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo reacts during the third inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Cal Raleigh celebrates his solo home run against the Oakland Athletics with teammates during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver looks on after hitting a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

PHOENIX (AP) — Luis Arraez hit two doubles and a triple, Yu Darvish pitched 5 1/3 gritty innings and the San Diego Padres used a four-run first to beat the sliding Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 on Friday night.

The Padres — who had already clinched a postseason berth earlier this week — secured the No. 4 spot in the National League bracket, meaning they'll host a best-of-three Wild Card Series next week in San Diego.

“It's amazing,” outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. said. “Can't wait for that energy at Petco. The fans are going to be crazy and it'll be a great atmosphere.”

As for the Diamondbacks (88-72), they sit just behind the Mets (87-71) and Braves (87-71) in a tight race for the final two NL wild cards. The D-backs — who have lost four of five — have a slightly lower winning percentage.

Atlanta and New York have played two fewer games because Hurricane Helene washed out two games of their crucial series earlier this week. The teams would play a doubleheader Monday in Atlanta if playoff positioning is still undecided.

The Mets and Braves hold tiebreakers over the defending NL champion Diamondbacks should they finish with the same record. Arizona lost the season series to both teams.

Arraez (.314) is trying to hold off Shohei Ohtani (.309) and Marcell Ozuna (.308) for the NL batting title. If he wins, it would be his third batting crown in three years for three different teams, which has never been done in MLB history.

The Padres will be able to rest their regulars over the next two days, but manager Mike Shildt said getting Arraez to sit might be a tough ask. He's one hit shy of 200 for the season.

“We'll talk to him,” Shildt said. “I know Louie — he's going to want to play and get that 200 and add on to what he's doing. He's a warrior and a competitor. But we also need to monitor about making sure he feels good and is healthy.”

Darvish (7-3) gave up three runs on three hits, walking three and striking out four.

The D-backs tried to rally in the ninth when Corbin Carroll drew a one-out walk, but Robert Suarez struck out Ketel Marte and retired Alek Thomas on a groundout to end the game. It was Suarez's 36th save in 42 chances.

The Padres never trailed, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first inning after Merrill Kelly gave up four hits, one walk and a hit by pitch.

Manny Machado ripped an RBI single that skipped past Marte at second base and then rookie Jackson Merrill followed with another run-scoring single to put the Padres up 2-0.

Marte threw a ball into the Padres' dugout while trying to turn a double play, which allowed Machado to score, and then David Peralta's RBI single made it 4-0. Machado has a team-leading 105 RBIs this season.

“It’s part of the game,” Kelly said. “At that point, we still had plenty of chances to win the game. My job is to pick them up. Everybody’s trying their hardest. Mistakes happen.”

Merrill and Peralta both had two hits.

The D-backs cut the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning on Carroll's solo homer and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s sacrifice fly. They closed the gap to 5-3 in the sixth on Eugenio Suárez's RBI single, but Jeremiah Estrada eventually worked out of the jam.

“I think I felt a little stiff in the first inning,” Darvish said through a translator. “It was a little longer inning for me, so that maybe helped me loosen up a little. Starting in the second, I felt pretty normal.”

The win was Darvish's 203rd as a professional pitcher, including 110 in the United States and 93 in Japan. That ties Hiroki Kuroda for the most pro wins for a Japanese-born pitcher between the two countries. Kuroda pitched seven years in the big leagues for the Dodgers and Yankees from 2008-14.

Kelly (5-1) gave up five runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out eight.

“We had a lot of fight in us today,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “But we couldn't close up that early deficit. I think that first inning took a little energy out of us.”

UP NEXT

The teams play the middle game of their series on Saturday. The D-backs will start lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (3-4, 5.56 ERA), while the Padres hadn't announced a starter.

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San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, right, celebrates with Jake Cronenworth (9) after scoring on a throwing error by Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll (7) celebrates with manager Torey Lovullo, right, after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Diego Padres' David Peralta hits an RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Diego Padres' Luis Arraez reacts after hitting a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)