Tough start to the trip: Mariners hit three homers and beat the Orioles

SEATTLE – When O’s right-hander Kyle Gibson faced the Seattle Mariners on June 23 in Baltimore, he had one of his toughest nights of the year. He had another tough one against the same team on Friday night.

Seattle scored twice in the first and five times in the fourth and hit three homers off Gibson as they beat the Orioles 9-2 to start the three-game series and to start the O’s nine-game West Coast road trip.

Catcher Cal Raleigh hit a two-run shot in the first, 2022 American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez hit a three-run shot in the fourth and Ty France hit a solo blast in the fifth.

Gibson had another tough night facing Seattle. Over 5 1/3 innings he gave up 12 hits to tie his career-high and allowed a career-high nine runs. His previous most in a start was eight done five times. He had not allowed more than six runs in any start this year.

Seattle was hitting hard from the star tonight. Through five innings, the Mariners had hit seven balls in play over 100 mph and 10 balls at 99 mph or more.

Seattle (63-52) has won eight straight – the longest current win streak in the majors. They have also won 10 of 11 and 16 of their past 20. The Mariners 25-10 record since July 1 is MLB’s best.

Gibson had entered this start pitching well, with four straight quality starts and an ERA of 3.24 in those games.

The Orioles (71-45) see their AL East lead cut to two games over Tampa Bay, which won tonight. The Orioles fall to 35-22 in road games and to 17-10 in the second half.

The lone Baltimore run came off the bat off Anthony Santander, who hit a solo homer, No. 21, in the O’s fourth. He blasted a first-pitch slider from winning pitcher Luis Castillo and hit that ball 414 feet.

Castillo went six innings allowing two hits and one run with two walks and eight strikeouts. A 2022 and 2023 AL All-Star, he is now 8-7 with an ERA of 3.14 after a 101-pitch outing.

The Birds got their second run on Jordan Westburg's RBI single to left. Ryan Mountcastle walked twice tonight but his 12-game hitting streak ended. 

In the second game of this series on Saturday night, lefty Cole Irvin (1-3, 5.44 ERA) will face righty George Kirby (10-8, 3.32 ERA).