Gilbert retires 15 straight, Mariners overpower Braves 7-3

ATLANTA (AP) — After seeing the Atlanta Braves attack his fastball in the first inning, Logan Gilbert needed to change his strategy to keep the Seattle Mariners in the game.

Gilbert’s splitter saved the day.

Gilbert recovered from a rocky first inning to retire 15 consecutive hitters, Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer, and the Mariners beat the Braves 7-3 on Saturday night.

Seattle Mariners 7, Atlanta Braves 3: Box score

Gilbert (2-2) gave up three consecutive hits, including Matt Olson’s two-run homer, to open the game. Gilbert gave credit to catcher Tom Murphy for helping him adjust his pitches “just based off the swings. They hit the fastball hard early. … Murf did a good job recognizing that and setting up a new game plan from there.”

Gilbert also issued his only walk in the first inning but didn’t give up another hit until Austin Riley singled to right field with two outs in the sixth.

Gilbert allowed two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts in six innings.

“They were really aggressive in the first inning,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais, who said Gilbert made “an awesome adjustment after that.”

Battled back and took care of business.

6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K pic.twitter.com/5EGm0yKoDB

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 21, 2023

J.P. Crawford had two hits, including a run-scoring single in Seattle’s three-run fourth.

Olson’s homer to center field drove in Ronald Acuña Jr., who led off the game with a single up the middle.

“Not really the start you’re looking for,” Gilbert said.

Placing more emphasis on his splitter, which at first looks like a fastball to hitters, Gilbert regrouped with a dominant stretch of five scoreless innings. The Mariners’ offense chipped away at Atlanta’s collection of relievers who followed opener Jesse Chavez in the bullpen game. Taylor Trammell drove in a run with a single off Michael Tonkin (3-2) in the fourth.

Teoscar Hernández’s single drove in Jarred Kelenic in the fifth for a 5-2 lead. Suárez, who drove in three runs on two hits, added his fifth homer off Kirby Yates in the seventh to stretch the lead to five runs.

432 feet for Genooooooo! pic.twitter.com/CnnLTHWJGl

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 21, 2023

“It was awesome,” said Gilbert of the Mariners’ nine-hit attack. “It helps me out a ton after a rough first inning.”

Olson leads the Braves with 13 homers, including blasts in each of the first two games of the series with Seattle.

Tonkin, Atlanta’s second pitcher, allowed five runs, only two earned, on six hits and two walks in two innings. The Braves committed three errors, including two by Acuña, one fielding and one throwing.

Jesse Chavez was effective as Atlanta’s opener, allowing one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Fried is lifting weights two weeks after being placed on the injured list. There is no indication the update impacts initial projections that Fried is expected to miss about two months. “He’s going to be in great shape when he comes back,” Snitker said.

UP NEXT

Braves LHP Jared Shuster (0-2, 7.24 ERA) will look for his first win in Sunday’s final game of the series against Mariners RHP George Kirby (5-2, 2.45).

Dipoto: How Seattle Mariners’ lineup can find more consistency