Mariners make history

On a day when the Seattle Mariners had a league-leading four players selected to the American League All-Star team, the Mariner were part of history against the Pittsburgh Pirates and potential NL All-Star starting pitcher, Paul Skenes.

For the second consecutive game, the M’s blanked their keystone guests, 1-0. Seattle blanked Pittsburgh, 6-0 on Friday night. For the 36^th time in major league history, a team shutout its opponent for an entire series.

This marked the first time the Mariners turned the trick in team history and it also marked the first time Seattle has recorded two consecutive 1-0 victories. Going back to the final two innings of Thursday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, Mariner pitchers have thrown 29 scoreless frames.

For the Pirates, it was their third consecutive shutout loss after blanking the St. Louis Cardinals in three consecutive games. The Buccos are the first team in the history of major league baseball has recorded three shutouts and then been shutout for three games.

Yesterday, George Kirby took the mound for Seattle and outdueled Skenes who started last year’s All-Star game for the National League. Kirby outdueled Skenes posting 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no walks and nine strikeouts. He did not allow a runner to get past first base. (fun fact: Kirby and Skenes combined for 15 strikeouts in the first four innings).

“George had incredible stuff today,” said Mariner manager Dan Wilson in his post-game press conference. “I thought his secondaries and the way he was spinning the ball was outstanding; a lot of swing-and-miss.”

Kirby combined with first-time All-Star Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo to throw 19 1/3 scoreless innings with 25 strikeouts and two walks versus the Bucs this weekend. Kirby missed the first month of the season due to shoulder inflammation and he posted a 6.16 ERA in his first six starts. He’s thrown six innings plus in his last three starts, in allowing two earned runs.

Yesterday, Kirby received help from the Mariners bullpen- Carlos Vargas, Gabe Speier and Andre Munoz, who learned during the game that he’s been selected to the American League All-Star team for the second consecutive year.

Munoz retired the Pirates in order in the ninth to earn his 21^st save of the season. Left-hander Gabe Speier struckout the side in the eighth inning, Speier, who pitched six years in the minors with four different organizations before making the major leagues, has now fanned the side in his last three appearances.

Randy Arozarena accounted for the M’s only run with a homer to left in the fifth inning. Seattle had another run cut down at the plate in the first inning. After J.P. Crawford, who the Mariners were promoting as a potential All-Star candidate, led off with a base hit, Crawford tried to score on Jorge Polanco’s single. But Arozarena was gunned down at the plate by a 105 mph throw by Pirate center-fielder Oneil Cruz.

Cal Raleigh, who will also compete in the Home Run Derby, was selected to his first All-Star game, and outfielder Julio Rodriguez was picked for the third time, to round out the Mariners heading to the summer classic.

With yesterday’s victory, the Mariners (48-42 on the season) currently hold on to the third and final wild card playoff spot in the American League. Seattle only trails New York and Tampa Bay by a game and lead Boston by 2 ½ games in the WC standings. Seattle fans would most like to see the Mariners catch Houston, the first-place team in the AL West. But the Astros actually picked up a game on the M’s in the standings, recently going 8-2 in their last ten games while the Mariners were 7-3.

Several former Mariners were selected to this year’s All-Star game which takes place July 15 at Atlanta’s Truit Park. Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels will represent the AL while former Mariners on the NL squad include pitchers Robbie Ray (San Francisco), Edwin Diaz (Mets) and Matt Boyd (Cubs) along with third baseman Eugenio Suarez and former Mariner farmhand Ketel Marte (both from Arizona).

The Mariners host the Yankees in a series beginning tomorrow night.