Bryan Woo delivered a standout performance on May 31, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks and extending the team’s winning streak to five games. The win also put Seattle above .500 for the first time since their fifth game of the season.
Woo struck out nine batters and allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings. He did not issue any walks during his outing. Center fielder Julio Rodríguez said, “You know when it’s one of those days where he’s just coming after you. He definitely had them uncomfortable throughout the game.”
Arizona entered the game with strong statistics against fastballs, but Woo relied on his four-seam fastball and sinker to keep their hitters off balance. “Honestly, I had no idea they hit fastballs well,” Woo said. “I was just sticking with my plan. When it comes down to it, that’s what I always want to do: stick to my strengths and what I’m doing.”
Woo retired the first 13 Diamondbacks before Adrian Castillo broke up his perfect-game bid in the fifth inning. Over 86 pitches—59 of which were fastballs—he generated 14 swings-and-misses, including seven on fastballs alone.
Manager Dan Wilson commented on Woo’s mix of pitches, “As much as we love the fastball, I think his slider and sweeper were pretty good tonight. He kept them really off-balance at times, which made that extra life on that fastball tough. That’s what he does.” The Mariners provided offensive support early in the game by hitting four home runs across two innings against Arizona starter Ryne Nelson.
Reflecting on recent struggles earlier in May when he allowed multiple home runs in consecutive starts, Woo said that sometimes success comes from relaxing and trusting one’s abilities: “When you have as good a team as we do,” he said, “sometimes it’s just taking a step back and trying to just relax and let your game come out on its own.”
