Mariners win their fifth straight home series with win over Royals on Wednesday

Brian Woo was strong through 5.1 innings of work, earning his first win of the season. Woo only allowed one hit in his first five innings, on a bunt single by Royals second baseman Michael Massey. The long delay between innings five and six may have affected how well Woo threw in the sixth inning. Umpire Jim Wolf left the game after he was hit badly on a foul tip in the top of the fifth inning. He left the game as a precaution and hopefully will be alright. Replacing him was first base umpire Ryan Blakney.

The game resumed after a short delay and continued with just three umpires. The longer-than-usual layoff may have affected Woo to some extent. He was incredibly sharp through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. Woo gave up two singles and a walk, had the bases loaded with no outs, and after he retired Bobby Witt Jr. (who hit a sac-fly to center field), Gabe Speier came in to relieve him. Speier came up big, by getting Vinnie Pasquantino to foul out, and struck out Salvador Perez with runners at the corners.

The Mariners won the series, their fifth straight home series win

That crucial hold by Speier kept the Mariners in front (2-1). The Mariners scored their two runs earlier in the game on a fielder's choice error by Adam Frazier and a solo home run by Ty France. After Speier's hold, along with a 1-2-3 seventh inning by Ryne Stanek, the Mariners responded by scoring a run on an RBI single from Rojas, which drove in Dom Canzone (giving the Mariners a 3-1 lead). Canzone reached base by hitting a ground-rule double, his first hit after coming back from the injured list.

In the top of the eighth inning Austin Voth came on in relief. Voth ran into a little trouble giving up a single to Freddy Fermin and a double to Adam Frazier. Austin Voth would leave the game with one out, and two men on, at second and third. Andres Munoz was called on to complete a five-out save. Munoz induced a ground ball from Bobby Witt Jr., as he was thrown out at first, a run scored (cutting the Mariners lead to 3-2). The Mariners would get that run back on an RBI single from Luke Raley (who was thrown out at second upon review on what was originally ruled a double) which scored pinch-runner Leo Rivas (who ran for Haniger, after he singled).

Those insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings would be crucial for the Mariners. Munoz had to work through a bit of trouble in the ninth. Salvador Perez doubled to lead off the ninth. Munoz would get Michael Massey to fly out to Dominic Canzone in left. Hunter Renfroe would reach on a throwing error by Luis Urias, after Urias made a nice play on a tricky hop to third, Urias just could not make the throw (putting runners at the corners with one out). Then Munoz really stepped up big time, by striking out MJ Melendez and Freddy Fermin to end the game, closing a five-out save. The Mariners went on to win the game (4-2) and take the series.

The Mariners now head out on a 10-game road trip. Where they will travel to Baltimore for three, then New York to play the Yankees for four, and then they finish the trip with a three-game series in Washington.