A night dedicated to honoring one of the best pitchers of his generation ended with only one run scored, 19 combined strikeouts and an overpowering right-hander named Félix on the mound at the end.
Ryan Mountcastle’s one-out single in the top of the 10th inning scored Cedric Mullins, Félix Bautista struck out the side in the bottom of the inning, and the Baltimore Orioles snapped Seattle’s eight-game win streak with a 1-0 win over the Mariners on Saturday night.
The Orioles win spoiled a night dedicated to Seattle great Félix Hernández as he was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. But even Hernández had to appreciate the caliber of pitching on both sides.
Bautista worked two innings of relief to get the victory. Bautista (7-2) allowed a two-out single in the ninth inning to Cade Marlowe, but he was called out on a replay review after appearing to steal second base. In the 10th, Bautista struck out the side, including Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez.
“What he's done this entire season is unbelievable. There's no other closers that are doing that,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said of Bautista. “Five out save in Toronto. Ninth, 10th innings what he's doing. And then doing it in the fashion he is too, we are just so fortunate to have him.”
Seattle starter George Kirby pitched nine shutout innings allowing three hits, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter, but failed to get any run support.
Kirby’s performance was reminiscent of the dominance Hernández showed at times during his career and the frustration when many of those great outings lacked the needed help from the offense. Kirby was the first Seattle pitcher to throw at least nine innings and have the team lose since Hernández on July 26, 2013.
“The night we honor Félix Hernández, it was a Félix game. It's crazy, isn't it? The baseball gods, they are there,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.
Kirby pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his career. He needed just 38 pitches to get through four innings and 62 to get through the sixth and finished with 103, including 73 strikes.
“That was the best pitched game against us all season,” Hyde said.
But the Orioles were able to get to Andrés Muñoz (2-5) in the 10th. Mountcastle lined a pitch back up the middle and easily scored Mullins, who started the inning as the runner at second base and stole third.
Mountcastle also had one of the three hits off Kirby, lining an 0-2 slider into right field leading off the second inning. That remained the only hit and only baserunner for Baltimore until Austin Hays lined a single to right field with two outs in the eighth inning.
“The whole staff, Félix was unbelievable and for them Kirby was dominant. He did really well. It just felt like whoever scored first was going to win," Mountcastle said.
Baltimore threaten in the ninth, but Kirby got Mullins to pop out in foul territory to end the inning with Jordan Westburg at third. Kirby raced over to make the catch.
“That was a pretty exciting game. I was pretty pumped up. Sometimes you don't win them, but I did what I could," Kirby said.
Baltimore starter Cole Irvin did his part, matching zeros with Kirby through five innings. Irvin rejoined the rotation for the first time since early July having worked out of the bullpen in his last six appearances.
Irvin scattered two hits and struck out a season-high six. Because he had been pitching in the bullpen, Hyde was hopeful of getting Irvin into the fifth inning.
Baltimore’s bullpen was up to the task with five relievers combining for five innings and allowing two hits.
SWEEP STREAK
Baltimore extended its streak of series without being swept to 77 with the victory.
HALL OF FAME
Hernández became the 11th person to be honored by the organization. He pitched all 15 seasons of his career with the Mariners making 418 starts, winning one Cy Young Award and had six All-Star Game appearances.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (7-6, 3.19) is coming off a shaky outing in his last start against the Yankees where he threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings, but tied a career-high with five walks and hit a batter. Bradish beat Seattle in June allowing two runs on two hits over seven innings.
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (7-4, 4.20) matched his career high with 10 strikeouts in five innings in his last start against the Angels. Miller started against Baltimore in June and gave up three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
