The Mariners final stretch of the regular season began on a poor note on a day filled with disappointments.
SEATTLE — Thursday began on a poor note for the Seattle Mariners, who learned before a game against the Los Angeles Angels that they were eliminated from playoff contention after the Texas Rangers beat the New York Mets 3-1 earlier in the day.
The night ended disappointingly for the Mariners, as well, who fell 6-4 to the Angels in the first of a four-game series at T-Mobile Park.
Thursday also marked the final start of the season for Seattle pitcher Bryan Woo, who capped off a season of ups and downs emblematic of the team at large with eight strikeouts, three walks, one hit batter and five runs allowed (four earned) on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.
"I thought he was out there ultra-competitive tonight," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Thursday. "Thought he came out really, really hot. Did fall behind a little bit as the game went on, but I thought he continued to get ahead and then they were able to get him a little deeper into counts. For his last outing of the year, really liked the way he came out and competed like he did."
Woo fought tooth-and-nail to finish his outing on a strong note.
In the top of the sixth inning, Seattle was holding on to a 4-3 lead. Woo issued a lead-off walk to Angels catcher Moises Ballesteros and hit right fielder Josh Lowe with a pitch to set Los Angeles up with runners at first and second and one out.
The hit-by-pitch brought out Wilson to talk with Woo and, presumably, turn towards reliever Michael Rucker who was ready to enter the game.
Woo gave a passionate response to Wilson on the mound and made his case to finish the game.
Wilson opted to leave Woo in to attempt to get at least one more out, but Angels second baseman Christian Moore punished that decision and hit a two-RBI double off the left-center field wall the next-at bat.
Moore's hit resulted in the Angels taking a 5-4 lead. Center fielder Bryce Teodosio later hit an RBI single in the top of the eighth for the eventual final of 6-4.
"I don't think I've ever done that before," Woo said. "For (Wilson) to give me the ball in that situation means a lot. Sucks to not come through on that. But, yeah, means a lot. ... I said 'I just want to leave it all out there.' There's nothing else really to fight for so let me fight for this moment right here."
Bryan Woo walks in the dugout after being pulled from a game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. | Steven Bisig/Imagn ImagesBefore Moore's go-ahead, and ultimately game-winning, double, the Mariners came back from an early deficit and again took the advantage after L.A. briefly came back to tie.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second off an RBI single from Moore. Seattle promptly responded in the bottom of the second with a three-run frame.
Center fielder Julio Rodriguez accounted for the first two of the Mariners' third-inning scores with a two-run home run to left-center field. Third baseman Leo Rivas bolstered the lead to 3-1 with an RBI single.
The Angels tied the game back up in the top of the sixth. Teodosio hit an RBI groundout that brought home Lowe and shortstop Zach Neto hit an RBI single to tie the game 3-3.
Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth to briefly give his team the lead before Moore's go-ahead double.
The Mariners will look to even the series against L.A. in game two of the series at 7:10 p.m. PT on Friday. Bryce Miller will start for Seattle and Reid Detmers will start for Los Angeles.
