SEATTLE — Dylan Moore hit a two-run homer and had a career-high five RBIs to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Friday night.
While the Mariners rebounded to open a brief homestand after losing three of four in Minnesota, the immediate concern was around starting pitcher Bryan Woo after he left with one out in the fifth inning.
Making his first start of the season after being slowed by elbow soreness during spring training, Woo was lifted for precautionary reasons due to tightness in his right arm. Woo allowed just one hit through the first four innings only to leave the game after getting Tyler Soderstrom to foul out behind third base to open the fifth.
Woo struck out three and walked one, and threw 62 pitches. The tightness developed following a long stint on the bench as the Mariners scored five times in the fourth inning of Oakland starter Paul Blackburn.
Manager Scott Servais said they expect Woo to make his next start and he was thrilled with what he saw from the young righty before leaving.
''He was awesome," Servais said. "Thought he threw the ball really well. When he came out there for the fifth inning, it was a long inning — we put the runs up before that — and it was just tight. It wasn't loose and there is no point in pushing it right now.''
Trent Thornton (1-1), Kirby Snead and Cody Bolton kept the shutout going until the ninth when Lawrence Butler's two-out RBI single off Austin Voth plated Oakland's only run.
After cruising through the first three innings, Blackburn (3-2) ran into trouble immediately in the fourth walking Mitch Haniger and Cal Raleigh.