Kirby’s 12 Ks lead M’s past D-backs 3-1 for 4th straight series win

SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby struck out a career-high 12 batters in seven scoreless innings, Ty France hit a two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Saturday night.

Seattle Mariners 3, Arizona Diamondbacks 1: Box score

Kirby (3-2) gave up two hits, recorded eight of his first nine outs via strikeout and retired his final 14 batters. He ran into his only bit of trouble in the third, giving up a one-out double to Blaze Alexander and a walk to Jake McCarthy before he struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte.

Kirby hit 99.3 mph with his fastball and induced 23 swings and misses.

“Wow, George Kirby,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Tough to get a hit tonight on both sides, but our guy was fantastic. Can’t say enough from where he came out in the first inning, probably as good a stuff as we’ve seen him have all year.”

Kirby extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings.

“You kind of know from the beginning,” he said. “You start warming up and you’re like, OK, it’s going to be a good day. Feel good, and just got to execute. I did my job today.”

The AL West-leading Mariners have won three straight and nine of 11, and have won four consecutive series.

Seattle’s starting pitchers have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 consecutive starts, a franchise record.

Arizona starter Slade Cecconi (1-1) kept pace with Kirby early, striking out seven and allowing one hit over the first four innings. He gave up a run in the fifth on Luke Raley’s RBI single.

Cecconi struck out eight while allowing three hits over six innings.

Reliever Bryce Jarvis walked Jorge Polanco in the seventh before France took him deep with a 410-foot shot to left-center.

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“Our pitching staff is elite, one of the best in the game,” France said. “Honestly all it takes some nights is just one run.”

McCarthy had an RBI triple in the eighth for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four of five.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We knew full well it was going to be hard when we came in here. This is a quality pitching staff and we’ve just got to be better. We’ve got to find a way to get it done, it’s not going to fix itself.”

Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Zac Gallen (right hamstring tightness) felt better on Saturday after leaving in the top of the sixth inning Friday. Gallen is expected to throw a bullpen on Monday and make his next scheduled start. … RHP Paul Sewald (oblique) will have his rehab slowed down due to soreness but is still “very close” to a return, manager Torey Lovullo said.

Seattle Mariners: RHP Matt Brash (elbow) has been shut down indefinitely. Brash threw Friday and did not feel good afterward. His scheduled rehab appearance on Saturday at Triple-A Tacoma was scrapped. … RHP Bryan Woo (elbow) allowed two hits and struck out six batters in 3 1.2 innings in his second rehab start at Tacoma.

UP NEXT

Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (2-0, 1.87 ERA) will pitch Sunday against Diamondbacks righty Brandon Pfaadt (1-1, 4.97).

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