Bryce Miller carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and combined with two relievers on a three-hit shutout as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 on Thursday night to complete a three-game series sweep.
Cal Raleigh drove in the game’s only run with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning after working a lengthy at-bat against rookie starter Walbert Ureña. The narrow victory kept Seattle tied with the Texas Rangers atop the American League West at 45-43.
The Mariners received another dominant outing from Miller, while their bullpen survived a tense ninth inning to preserve the shutout and finish off the sweep.
Miller Dominates on the Mound
Miller controlled the game from the opening pitch, keeping the Angels hitless through six innings.
The right-hander struck out eight without issuing a walk over seven innings. He relied on precise command and efficient pitching to keep Los Angeles from generating any offense.
His no-hit bid ended when Nolan Schanuel dropped a bloop single into right-center field to lead off the seventh inning. Denzer Guzmán followed with another single, giving the Angels their best scoring opportunity of the night.
Miller responded by retiring the next three batters in order to protect Seattle’s one-run advantage before leaving the game.
Eduard Bazardo followed with a perfect eighth inning, striking out two hitters to bridge the game to closer Andrés Muñoz.
Raleigh Delivers the Decisive Run
The game remained scoreless until the sixth inning, when Seattle finally broke through.
J.P. Crawford, appearing in the 1,000th game of his major league career, opened the inning with a double for the Mariners’ first hit of the night.
Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena followed with walks to load the bases. After Josh Naylor struck out swinging, Raleigh stepped to the plate.
Behind 0-2 in the count, Raleigh battled through a nine-pitch plate appearance before drawing a bases-loaded walk. Crawford crossed the plate with the game’s only run, and Ureña exited after issuing the walk.
The patient at-bat proved to be the difference in a contest dominated by pitching.
Ureña Keeps Angels Close
Despite taking the loss, Ureña turned in another competitive performance.
The rookie right-hander held the Mariners scoreless through five innings before running into trouble in the sixth. He allowed only one hit entering the inning and escaped several difficult situations before Seattle finally broke through.
Ureña left after 5 2/3 innings with the bases loaded. The lone run charged against him came on Raleigh’s walk, dropping his record to 5-7.
The Angels received another solid effort from their starter but could not provide any offensive support.
Muñoz Escapes Ninth-Inning Threat
Seattle’s closer had to work for his save.
Muñoz opened the ninth by walking the leadoff hitter and later allowed two singles, bringing the tying run into scoring position.
The Angels threatened to erase the deficit, but Muñoz induced Wade Meckler to hit a game-ending ground ball with two runners on base, securing his 16th save of the season.
Los Angeles also hurt its own chances in the inning when Zach Neto, who had drawn a leadoff walk, was picked off while attempting to steal second base.
Mariners Deal With Injury Concerns
Seattle lost two outfielders during the game.
Julio Rodríguez exited in the third inning after taking a thrown ball off the back of his helmet while running the bases earlier in the game.
Victor Robles replaced Rodríguez but was hit on the right wrist by a pitch in the third inning. He remained in the game briefly before Weston Wilson entered in the fifth.
The Mariners will monitor both players as they begin their next series.
Up Next
The Angels return home Friday to begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. Left-hander Reid Detmers, who is 3-5 with a 3.88 ERA, is scheduled to start against Boston left-hander Jake Bennett, who enters with a 2-3 record and a 3.27 ERA.
The Mariners remain at home to open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Seattle will send right-hander Luis Castillo, who is 3-6 with a 4.93 ERA, to the mound against Toronto right-hander Dylan Cease, who owns a 4-4 record and a 3.02 ERA.
