Seattle Mariners Get Dominant Pitching in 2-1 Win Friday Against Toronto Blue Jays

SEATTLE — Strong pitching has been the backbone of the Seattle Mariners throughout this season, and that continued to be the case in a 2-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Luis Castillo had his 11th quality start of the year and earned the win to improve his record to 7-9. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowing two hits, one home run, and two walks. He struck out eight batters, including three straight to start the game.

"That was just an awesome outing," Mariners manager Scott Servais said in a postgame interview. "Mixing all of his pitches, he made a little adjustment to his slider. We saw the speed variation off that pitch. It's usually a pitch he throws 87, 88 (MPH). Tonight it was coming off 82, 83. ... I thought that the speed variation between the slider and the fastball really helped him tonight. He was on top of his game."

Castillo was working a no-hitter until the top of the sixth when Kevin Kiermaier hit a solo home run to right field to cut the Mariners' lead down to 2-1.

Seattle's bullpen came in and made sure Castillo's start didn't go to waste.

Austin Voth relieved Castillo in the seventh inning and got the final out, Ryne Stanek kept Toronto off the board in the eighth, and Andres Munoz took the mound in the ninth and closed out the game for his 14th save of the year. All three relievers didn't give up a hit or walked a batter.

Castillo has a 3.79 ERA this season in 19 starts to go with 111 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched. Munoz has a 1.54 ERA in 35 appearances with 43 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched.

"(Thursday) we were doing some work," Castillo said via a translator in a postgame interview Friday. "My pitching coach (Pete Woodworth) went up to me and asked me 'how do you hold your slider?' I showed it to him and he told me 'Why not try it this way?' I did it, I threw it, I threw it (Friday) and it gave us results. I think I liked it. ... It helps a lot."

While the Mariners pitching staff did it's job, the offense struggled to cash in once again.

Seattle's two runs came in the bottom of the third after Luke Raley hit a two-run double. The Mariners ended up leaving 12 runners on base for the game.

With the win, Seattle maintains it's two-game lead in the American League West standings. The Houston Astros won their game Friday against the Minnesota Twins 13-12.

The Mariners will have two more games against the Blue Jays on Saturday and Sunday and a three-game series apiece against the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels before the All-Star break.

Emerson Hancock is slated to get the start on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. against the Blue Jays.

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