SEATTLE (AP) — Luke Raley hit a three-run homer into the upper deck, Justin Turner’s grand slam capped Seattle’s seven-run second inning and the Mariners thumped the Philadelphia Phillies 10-2 on Friday night.
The Mariners handed Philadelphia its season-high fifth straight loss. Combined with Atlanta’s fourth straight win, the Phillies lead in the NL East is down to five games, the smallest Philadelphia’s advantage has been since May 28.
Given a wealth of offensive support, Seattle starter Bryan Woo cruised through a career-high seven shutout innings allowing just five hits. Woo (5-1) struck out six, walked none and left to a standing ovation after Bryson Stott’s fly out ended the seventh. It was the 14th time this season a Seattle starter pitched at least seven inning allowing zero runs.
“It’s been a tough year watching the rest of the staff do what they’ve been doing and staying healthy and just being horses,” said Woo, who has faced two stints on the injured list. “That’s all I’m really trying to do is just contribute and be that for the team.”
In just his fifth career starter, Phillies’ righty Tyler Phillips didn’t make it through the second inning after he threw a complete-game shutout in his last outing and suffered his first loss.
“I think because of the complete game, stuff was down, command was down,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “That’s what I chalk it up to. He’ll get another start.”
Seattle got started immediately when Victor Robles hit the first pitch of the game from Phillips an estimated 426 feet into the left field seats to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. It was the first of three homers allowed by Phillips, each getting progressively louder.
Raley became just the seventh player to reach the upper deck in right field at the stadium with his homer in the second that traveled an estimated 459 feet. Raley was the first player to reach that portion of the ballpark – which opened 25 years ago — since Shohei Ohtani’s 463-foot blast during the 2021 season.
“That ball went a long way. I want to know what that feels like and I know that I never will,” Turner said.
Raley slumped badly in July, hitting just .129 and had just five extra-base hits.
“I think what I’ve been fighting is my timing more than anything and to get one like that to right field, you know you’re back on time,” Raley said. “Just got to keep building off it.”
And while the crowd was still buzzing about Raley’s homer, Turner hit the fourth grand slam of his career and his first homer with the Mariners after being traded to Seattle last Monday.
Seattle has now scored six runs or more in six of its last seven games following a miserable stretch where its offense was absent and the Mariners managed just 11 runs over six games. Mitch Haniger added a solo home run in the seventh.
Phillips (3-1) allowed five hits and was tagged for eight runs in 1 2/3 innings. He walked three, including consecutive batters with two outs that led to Turner’s grand slam.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez (back soreness) did some throwing before Friday’s game with the possibility of throwing a bullpen in Los Angeles later in the road trip. … RHP Taijuan Walker (finger) threw 41 pitches in a rehab start for Double-A Reading. He is scheduled to pitch again Tuesday with the hope of getting to 60 pitches.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Philadelphia announced after the game that RHP Orion Kerkering (2-2, 2.21) would get the start. It’ll be the second time this season Kerkering has started a game.
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (8-7, 3.46) has allowed three earned runs over 19 1/3 innings spanning his last three starts.
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