CLEVELAND — Tanner Bibee struck out a career-high 12 in six innings, Josh Naylor homered twice and had four RBIs, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Seattle Mariners 8-0 in a battle of American League division leaders on Wednesday night.
Bibee (5-2) struck out multiple batters in each of the first five innings, allowing three hits and one walk in 93 pitches. The right-hander had 11 strikeouts in his previous start on June 12 at Cincinnati, his first double-digit game in the majors.
“The breaking balls, cutter, slider, slur, all were working really good and I definitely got into a rhythm tonight,” said Bibee, who induced 20 swing-and-misses. “When certain pitches are working how I want them, it’s nice.”
Steven Kwan hit a two-run homer and José Ramírez and Bo Naylor each had two hits for the Guardians, who have won 22 of 31 games at Progressive Field this season.
“This is super fun,” Bibee said. “The culture of us wanting to win, I think with our work ethic, is just meshing into something really special.”
Seattle, which sits atop the West, lost for the second time in 10 games and is 17-6 since May 26. Manager Scott Servais and shortstop J.P. Crawford were both ejected in the fifth by Doug Eddings, who had called Crawford out on strikes.
“You could feel the (unhappiness) building in the dugout because those are balls,” Servais said. “But you have to give Bibee credit. He’s got a really good fastball, his breaking ball is legit and he commands it. He’s really good.”
Bryan Woo (3-1) made his first start since June 6 at Oakland, giving up three runs in four innings. The right-hander underwent tests on his surgically-repaired elbow after missing his last scheduled outing, but they revealed no cause for concern.
Woo entered with a 1.07 ERA — the lowest in Mariners history through six starts — and just three walks in 33 2/3 innings, but promptly walked leadoff hitter Kwan and allowed him to score.
Kwan went 2 for 3 to raise his batting average to .397 and extend his on-base streak to 24 games. He is hitting a major league-best .510 since May 31, but is 16 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the league leaders.
“Kwanny doesn’t try to hit for power, but when it’s in his damage zone, he’s getting the barrel to it,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “Showing power is making him a complete hitter.”
Scott Barlow, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase worked the final three innings for the Guardians, wrapping up the three-hitter and their eighth shutout of the year.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: 2B Jorge Polanco (right hamstring strain), who has been on the injured list since May 27, is continuing his rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma following two games with Single-A Everett. He went 1 for 3 in his Rainiers debut against Las Vegas.
Guardians: RHP Nick Sandlin (low back inflammation) was placed on the 15-day IL after experiencing discomfort over the past week. Sandlin is 5-0 with a 3.49 ERA in 33 appearances, but allowed three runs without recording an out Sunday in Toronto.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (6-7, 3.32 ERA) takes on Guardians LHP Logan Allen (7-3, 5.30 ERA) in the three-game series finale. Castillo has worked at least five innings in all 15 of his starts this season, including an April 2 loss to Cleveland at T-Mobile Park.