Thursday was shaping up to be a great night for the Seattle Mariners, as starting pitcher Bryan Woo put up a career night. Instead, it became all about the New York Yankees, who roared back to a comeback victory in extra innings with a walk-off sacrifice fly from Aaron Judge.
Woo, who will be headed to the All-Star Game next week for the first time in his career, pitched one of the best games of his career, throwing seven hitless innings with five strikeouts.
It didn’t matter. After Woo came out of the game in the eighth, the Yankees began their comeback, scoring three runs in that frame before catcher Austin Wells hit a two-run RBI single in the ninth to tie the game and send things to extras.
In the bottom of the 10th, New York loaded the bases before Judge hit the ball into center field. Julio Rodriguez fielded it well for the Mariners, but Anthony Volpe was able to slide in for the winning run.
Before Thursday’s game, Woo had never thrown more than seven innings or 100 pitches in his career. He finished the game with 103 pitches, a career high, and made it into the eighth inning before he was pulled.
The matchup did not start well for Woo, who walked two batters to open the game. But from there, he found his footing. After throwing 24 pitches in the first inning alone, Woo stretched his next 79 pitches across 6 1/3 innings, cruising through with a 5-0 lead.
A single from Jazz Chisholm Jr. to lead off the eighth broke up Woo’s no-hit bid. Chisholm and Woo had a little interaction at first base, but Woo didn’t seem too upset, smiling as he returned to the mound.
Woo then allowed another single and a sacrifice fly before he was pulled in favor of Matt Brash. Brash went on to allow a two-run homer from Giancarlo Stanton, cutting Seattle’s lead to 5-3.
After going hitless in the top of the ninth, Seattle brought out closer Andrés Muñoz — another Mariners All-Star — to try to finish the game with a win. Instead, the Yankees continued their comeback, loading the bases before Wells tied things. Then Judge’s and Volpe’s heroics sealed the deal on another epic Mariners collapse.
Woo has been one of Seattle’s most consistent starters this season, throwing six or seven innings in every single one of his 17 starts this year. His 2.77 ERA is the lowest among the Mariners’ starting rotation, and he has a team-high 104 strikeouts.
With the win, the Yankees sweep the Mariners. Seattle will travel for one more series, against the Detroit Tigers, before the All-Star break, while New York will host the Chicago Cubs.
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