Mitch Garver’s walkoff homer lifts Mariners past Braves 2-1

SEATTLE (AP) — Mitch Garver hit a two-run game-ending homer in the ninth inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night in a game that was dominated by spectacular starting pitching.

Seattle Mariners 2, Atlanta Braves 1: Box score

The starting pitchers — Atlanta’s Max Fried and Seattle’s Bryce Miller — were the story for most of the game as each threw six no-hit innings. It was just the seventh time in the last 50 years that both teams carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the first since 2021.

But the night ended with Garver’s biggest swing to date with Seattle after struggling through the first month of the season, tossing his bat in front of home plate to celebrate the first career walkoff home run.

“That was pretty special for me,” Garver said. “And in a time where things aren’t going my way and I’m not feeling quite like myself, to be able to come through for the team in any way, shape or form is a huge W.”

Mitch Garver walks it off for the @Mariners!!! pic.twitter.com/JZoLyHmsWR

— MLB (@MLB) April 30, 2024

Jorge Polanco led off the ninth with a single on the first pitch from A.J. Minter. Garver worked the count to 3-2 and hit a cutter left in the middle of the plate by Minter (5-2) out to left field for his third homer.

The late dramatics for Seattle took some of the spotlight away from the pitching efforts by Fried and Miler, both of whom were nearly unhittable.

“Their guy tonight was pretty lights out,” Fried said. “He was throwing really well. Really commanding all his pitches and keeping us off balance, so I knew I had to try to match him as much as I could.”

The early season leaders of their divisions played a game worthy of October with both starting pitchers turning in dominant performances. Fried ran his scoreless innings streak to 15 2/3 innings after shutting down Miami in his last start and he carried it over to his effort against the Mariners.

Miller was the equal of Atlanta’s left-hander. He had a perfect game into the sixth and a two-batter sequence in the seventh ended his no-hit bid and led to the only run for Atlanta.

“It’s in the back of your mind, but I’m just trying to go one pitch, one at-bat, one inning at a time,” Miller said.

Looks good from any angle. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/8hh42bEp45

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 30, 2024

Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the seventh with a hard groundball that caromed off the glove of diving shortstop Dylan Moore for an infield hit — the first off Miller. Acuña stole second and third and jogged home when Ozzie Albies doubled to right-center field.

Jarred Kelenic had the only other hit for the Braves when he led off the ninth with a single against reliever Austin Voth (1-0).

Fried was pulled after throwing 100 pitches through six innings and the only two baserunners he allowed were walks to Garver and Cal Raleigh. He struck out seven and followed up on the 92-pitch, three-hitter in his last outing, a 5-0 win over Miami.

Pierce Johnson kept the combined no-hitter going through the seventh by striking out the side, but Seattle finally broke up the no-no in the eighth. Reliever Joe Jiménez immediately walked Ty France on four pitches and Josh Rojas pulled a ground ball through the right side of the infield for Seattle’s first hit.

Seattle eventually loaded the bases, but Julio Rodríguez flew out to shallow left field and Mitch Haniger struck out chasing a slider off the plate to end the threat.

Miller’s perfect game ended when he issued a one-out, four-pitch walk to Travis d’Arnaud in the sixth. Miller, in just his second season, tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. He leaned heavily on his fastball that induced 15 swings and misses from Atlanta batters.

“They did a really good job,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It was a really good ballgame. Couldn’t get a big hit. Couldn’t get anything going offensively.”

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-0, 0.72) has allowed only two earned runs in 25 innings this season. Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (2-4, 4.15) goes for his third straight victory after starting the season 0-4.

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