OAKLAND — Bryan Woo likely will go down in the history books as the final Oakland-born pitcher to start a game at the Coliseum, and the Seattle Mariners right-hander looked right at home against the A’s on Thursday afternoon.
Woo, who grew up 10 minutes away from the Coliseum in Alameda, allowed two hits and struck out six in six innings and combined with three relievers on a two-hit shutout to hand the A’s a 3-0 loss before an announced crowd of 6,571.
The 24-year-old threw a season-high 85 pitches and didn’t walk a batter while being cheered by friends and family in the stands.
Woo has faced the A’s four times in his career and has yet to allow a run in 21 1/3 innings. In two starts at the Coliseum, he’s allowed five hits in 11 scoreless innings.
“Honestly, I think coming home, you have to focus a little more just because you’re seeing family, you’re seeing friends, you look up in the stands, and you see a lot of familiar faces,” Woo said after he lowered his ERA to 1.07. “Sometimes, it can actually throw you off a little bit.
“So you have to lock in a little bit more and be a little bit more focused on baseball.”
Woo’s only mistake came in his final inning when umpires ruled a pitch-clock violation before the first pitch of the frame.
“Just a little bit of confusion,” Woo said. “(Catcher Cal Raleigh) was telling me to hurry up and throw it. I wasn’t sure if he was giving me signs to throw something different. He wasn’t looking all the way and then I was making sure he knew I was throwing a fastball.”
Thursday, Abraham Toro led off the bottom of the first with a double and was stranded at second base. The A’s only other hit was a one-out single by Tyler Soderstrom in the fifth.
The A’s (25-39) were shut out for the fifth time this season in their sixth loss in eight games.
“We just couldn’t hit the heater,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said when asked about Woo. “I don’t know what it is about his fastball that gives us trouble.”
Mitch Garver homered and had an RBI single for the AL West-leading Mariners, who have won nine of 11.
Woo (3-0) remained unbeaten after pitching out of a pair of early jams. Oakland got its leadoff batter to third base in the first two innings, but Woo retired the next three batters in order in both frames.
Austin Voth and Mike Baumann retired three batters each. Ryne Stanek, pitching the ninth while closer Andrés Muñoz recovers from a sore back, set the side down in order for his fourth save and completed the Mariners’ sixth shutout of the season.
Garver walked and scored in the third, hit an RBI single off A’s starter JP Sears in the fourth, and then homered off T.J. McFarland leading off the ninth.
Seattle’s first two runs were scored by players who reached base without a hit.
Garver walked leading off the third and Victor Robles was hit by a pitch. After Ryan Bliss attempted to sacrifice the runners over and reached safely to load the bases, Dylan Moore’s sacrifice fly gave Seattle an early lead.
Cal Raleigh got hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, stole second and scored on Garver’s single.
Sears (4-5) matched his season-high of eight strikeouts in six innings. The A’s left-hander allowed three hits and two runs.
The A’s open a weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
Left-hander Hogan Harris (0-0. 3.14) will face former A’s ace Chris Bassitt (6-6, 4.13) in the series opener.
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears #38 throws against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners left fielder Victor Robles #10 makes an error on a ball hit by Oakland Athletics' Seth Brown #15 in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Brown reached second on the hit. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo #22 throws against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh #29 scores on an RBI single by Mitch Garver #18 in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver #18 is congratulated by teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Seattle Mariners' Dylan Moore #25 in the third inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Dany Jiménez #56 throws against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh #29 is congratulated after scoring on an RBI single by Mitch Garver #18 in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Mike Baumann #53 throws against the Oakland Athletics in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom #21 strikes out swinging against Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Mike Baumann #53 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher T.J. McFarland #48 reacts after giving up a solo home run to Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver #18 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver #18 is congratulated by teammate Luke Raley #20 after hitting a solo home run off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher T.J. McFarland #48 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver #18 hoists a trident as he’s congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher T.J. McFarland #48 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics' Miguel Andujar #22 fouls off a pitch in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Ryne Stanek #45 and catcher Cal Raleigh #29 celebrate their 3-0 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Seattle Mariners celebrate their 3-0 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, June 6, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
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