Mariners Edge Pirates in Tight MLB Matchup

SEATTLE: At T-Mobile Park on Saturday, Luis Castillo delivered a stellar performance, pitching seven shutout innings and recording a season-best eight strikeouts, as the Seattle Mariners narrowly defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 in a Major League Baseball (MLB) contest.

The right-handed pitcher dominated, conceding only two hits—both to Spencer Horwitz, the Pirates’ leadoff hitter—and issued no walks during his economical 99-pitch outing, with 67 pitches landing as strikes.

Castillo retired the initial nine batters, guiding the Mariners to their second straight shutout and boosting their record to 4-2 on their current homestand.

The game’s lone run materialized in the sixth inning when rookie Ben Williamson hammered an RBI double into the right-center gap, allowing Jorge Polanco to score from second.

The Mariners had an opportunity to widen their lead after loading the bases following a walk to J.P. Crawford and Cole Young being hit by a pitch. However, Pirates relief pitcher Isaac Mattson struck out Julio Rodríguez, ending the threat.

Matt Brash maintained the slim advantage with a scoreless eighth inning, despite issuing a walk with one out, and Andres Munoz secured the victory with two strikeouts in the ninth, earning his 20th save of the season.

The Pirates, who came into the series on a six-game winning streak, have now suffered losses in consecutive games. Mike Burrows kept Pittsburgh in contention, pitching five scoreless innings while leaving seven Mariners stranded. He gave up three hits, walked four, and struck out six.

Seattle’s power hitter Cal Raleigh, who leads the league with 35 home runs, walked three times, including one intentional walk, and struck out once.

With this win, the Mariners continue to push for a playoff spot, relying on strong pitching and opportune hitting. George Kirby is slated to start the series finale for Seattle on Sunday against the Pirates.