SEATTLE -- Sometimes, a buzzsaw runs into another buzzsaw.
That was the case Friday afternoon at a festive, sun-splashed T-Mobile Park, where the Pirates came in on a Major League heater but got a little too much of a few Mariners who are smoldering themselves.
Pittsburgh’s six-game winning streak and three-game team shutout streak both came to an end in a 6-0 loss before a jacked Independence Day crowd of 33,061, and most of the damage came courtesy of a trio of Seattle players.
Cal Raleigh hit two home runs to increase his Major League lead to 35, starter Bryan Woo pitched six shutout innings and struck out eight, and Randy Arozarena hit his fifth homer in as many games. Pirates left-hander Bailey Falter continued his solid work in the starting rotation, giving up only three hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. But all three of those hits went over the wall.
“I honestly thought he threw the ball pretty well,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said of Falter. “Raleigh is having a heck of a year and got him twice. You know, he just gave up three homers.”
Raleigh cashed in a fielding error by Pittsburgh first baseman Spencer Horwitz with a two-run shot that gave Seattle a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, and he added a solo shot that ended Falter’s day with two out in the sixth.
Arozarena continued a torrid week at the plate, blasting an opposite-field solo job to right field in the fourth.
That accounted for all of the Mariners’ scoring against Falter, which meant that the southpaw was a few pitches away from a quality start … or more.
“I threw the ball decently today,” Falter said, agreeing that he was set on staying aggressive with his fastball, even after the home runs.
“The heater is still my bread and butter,” Falter said. “I’m still going to throw it, but I just need to execute a little bit better. I’m just grinding a little bit right now. But I’ll come out on top.”
Meanwhile, the Pirates’ bats fell silent in the scoring column against Woo, who has been Seattle’s most consistent starter so far this year, and a pair of Mariners relievers. But the offense gave itself chances to impact the game in key moments.
In the first inning, Bryan Reynolds worked a two-out walk and then moved to third on a double by Nick Gonzales, who finished with a three-hit game. The Pirates might have come inches from putting two runs on the board when Oneil Cruz’s flyout to shallow left field was snagged near the foul line by a diving Arozarena in a highlight-reel grab.
In the fourth, Gonzales singled with one out, Cruz followed with a walk and Ke’Bryan Hayes loaded the bases when he reached on a fielder’s choice after a throwing error when Seattle second baseman Cole Young’s throw to shortstop J.P. Crawford sailed high and wide of the bag.
Once again, however, Pittsburgh couldn’t convert the opportunity, with Adam Frazier striking out and Joey Bart grounding out to third to end the threat.
The Pirates also ran themselves out of an inning in the sixth when Gonzales, who had reached on an infield hit, was doubled up at first base on a Cruz flyout to center field.
And in the seventh, the Pirates got a hit and a stolen base from Hayes, a wild pitch, and a walk and steal from Isiah Kiner-Falefa but still couldn’t push a run across the plate because Seattle reliever Eduard Bazardo struck out three in the inning.
Dylan Moore’s two-run homer off Pirates reliever Braxton Ashcraft in the bottom of the seventh then put the game out of reach.
“Today was tough,” Kelly said. “We didn't get that hit with runners in scoring position. It’s just something that's plagued us this year at times, and it got us again today.
“But when we look back over this last week, we've been getting those hits, and I feel like the guys are going to continue work and pull through most of the time.”