Woo’s Brilliant Start Wasted, Mariners Stumble Late In Cleveland

Bryan Woo turned in one of his sharper outings of the young season, but the Seattle Mariners still lost 6-5 to the Cleveland Guardians in 10 innings on Saturday night. Seattle could not finish off a late rally, and Andrés Muñoz absorbed the loss after giving up a two-run homer to rookie Chase DeLauter in extra innings.

Woo allowed just one damaging sixth inning after working effectively through most of the night. He issued a leadoff walk to Brayan Rocchio, then gave up an RBI double to José Ramírez and a game-tying single to Kyle Manzardo on the next pitch, a sequence that changed the momentum of the game.

Woo delivers quality, but one inning stands out

Woo said he expected more from himself, even after a performance that otherwise looked strong. “I’ve got to do a better job of keeping teams down when they’re down,” Woo said after the game.

The right-hander’s frustration reflected the standard he has set for himself and the value Seattle places on his arm. He limited Cleveland outside that sixth-inning stretch, but the Mariners never regained the lead after the Guardians tied the game.

Mariners bullpen runs thin in key spots

Seattle’s bullpen faced pressure throughout the night, and manager Dan Wilson said afterward that he had limited options available. He did not go into specifics, but he noted the need to balance workload early in the season with the reality that some relievers needed rest.

1. Eduard Bazardo worked out of the sixth before running into trouble.
2. Gabe Speier entered with the game still hanging in the balance.
3. Muñoz handled the biggest leverage spot, but DeLauter connected for the decisive homer in the 10th.

Wilson said, “There were a couple guys that obviously needed a little bit of rest,” adding that the staff had to weigh the long season ahead while making decisions in real time.

Late offense gives Seattle a chance

Seattle stayed within range despite limited production for most of the night. Luke Raley added his third homer in as many days, a two-run shot that cut the Cleveland lead to one, and Julio Rodríguez tied the game at 3-3 in the ninth with Seattle down to its final strike and final out.

That hit also gave Rodríguez his first hit of the season after an 0-for-10 start. But the Mariners could not build on the momentum, and the comeback effort came too late to change the result.

DeLauter’s power swing ends it

DeLauter’s opposite-field home run in the 10th was the decisive blow and one of the most impressive swings of the night. The young outfielder drove a 96.6 mph fastball that was up and out of the zone, sending it an estimated 365 feet over the left-field fence despite the wind blowing in.

Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan praised the at-bat afterward, calling Woo “an elite pitcher” with “an elite fastball.” He added that DeLauter’s ability to execute in that spot, with the ballpark conditions working against hitters, was “as talented as you can be.”

Bullpen availability shapes the night

Seattle also had to navigate the game without several key relief options in ideal spots, which affected the late innings. The Mariners prefer not to use Matt Brash on consecutive days this early in the season, José A. Ferrer was unavailable, and Carlos Vargas is already on the injured list with a right lat strain.

That left Wilson managing a shortened bullpen in a game that demanded precision from start to finish. The setup made Seattle’s late push harder to sustain, even after Woo’s strong outing and the ninth-inning rally briefly gave the club life.

The Mariners will now try to steady a bullpen that is already being tested by workload and injury concerns, while Woo’s outing offered both encouragement and a reminder that one difficult inning can still decide a tight game.