Logan Gilbert threw seven scoreless innings and, with the help of two relievers, led the Mariners to their major league-leading 13th shutout of the season with a 4-0 win over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Gilbert was dominant, giving up just three hits. He matched the performance of Bryce Miller, who had thrown six shutout innings in the series opener on Friday. Gilbert allowed a leadoff single to Francisco Lindor but did not give up another hit until Lindor’s second single in the sixth inning.
Lindor’s second hit was the only time Gilbert disagreed with catcher Cal Raleigh during the game. Manager Scott Servais said the sixth inning was the only time he had concerns about Gilbert.
“He was behind some hitters in that inning, it was the only inning he was really behind anybody, and I felt like he was pitching maybe not to mess up,” Servais said.
“You have to be the aggressor, and I thought in the seventh when he went out, he said, ‘No this is my game, I’m going to be on the attack.’”
Gilbert (7-8) struck out six batters and walked just one to earn his first win since July 9. It was his fifth start of the season where he threw seven or more scoreless innings, the most in the majors.
“I think a pretty good pitch mix, deep arsenal. I saw that with Bryce yesterday, he did a great job mixing it up with six pitches,” Gilbert said. “Getting ahead, being aggressive, I think it’s the main thing we always preach and trusting that my stuff can play in the zone early and then expand late.”
Yimi García and Andrés Muñoz pitched the final two innings as Seattle moved ahead of Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Boston for the most shutouts this season. Muñoz has not allowed a hit in his last 11 appearances.
“You’re going to go through stretches where it’s going to be hard. You’ve got to give them credit. We’ve got good hitters and tomorrow we’ve got to find a way,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Justin Turner drove in two runs, including an important insurance run in the seventh inning after Seattle’s offense had quieted down following an early burst.
