Mariners walk off vs Braves following pitchers’ duel with
Mitch Garver launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 2-1 victory against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Monday night in a pitching battle in which both starters had no hits through six innings.
Leading off, Seattle’s Jorge Polanco hit a single to left field against Atlanta’s A.J. Minter (5-2). Garver then hammered a 3-2 cutter through the second deck’s facade, about 412 feet.
Mariners reliever Austin Voth (1-0) earned the win after allowing a leadoff single and striking out the next three batters in the top of the ninth inning.
Neither Atlanta’s Max Fried nor Seattle’s Bryce Miller allowed a hit until the seventh inning, when Ronald Acuna Jr. led out with an infield single, stole second and third, and scored on Ozzie Albies’ double to right field.
Fried threw six hitless innings, allowing two walks and seven strikeouts before giving way to Pierce Johnson, who struck out the side in the seventh.
Braves reliever Joe Jimenez dropped the no-hitter in the eighth inning, but he got out of a bases-loaded jam to save the shutout.
Jimenez walked Ty France on four pitches to start the inning. The Mariners’ first hit came from pinch-hitter Josh Rojas, who grounded a single into right. Luis Urias failed to lay down a bunt before striking out. Pinch-hitter Luke Raley reached on an infield single, but second baseman Albies made a diving catch to avoid a run. That loaded the bases for Julio Rodriguez, who flew out to shallow left for the second out. Jimenez struck out Mitch Haniger to end the inning.
Miller almost equaled Fried by retiring the first 16 hitters he faced before walking Travis d’Arnaud on four pitches with one out in the sixth. Miller forced Jarred Kelenic to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Miller pitched seven innings, allowing one run on two hits. He walked once and fanned ten.
