SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed just two hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings, J.P. Crawford homered and the Seattle Mariners beat the Boston Red Sox 1-0 on Friday night.
Kirby (1-0) opened his season with another deep start after a strong 2023. Last year, he lasted at least six innings in 23 of his 31 starts.
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (0-1) nearly matched Kirby. Pivetta allowed one run on three hits over six innings, striking out 10 without a walk.
Andrés Muñoz got the final four outs to earn the save.
The starters matched scoreless frames for the first five innings.
Crawford broke the tie in the sixth inning, with his shot down the right-field line just staying inside the pole.
Kirby ran into trouble in the opening inning, uncharacteristically walking two of the first three batters and allowing a runner to advance to third on a wild pitch. He didn’t have any trouble after that, though, retiring 19 of the next 20 batters. That stretch ended on a two-out single by Ceddanne Rafaela in the seventh inning that finished Kirby’s night.
Boston had runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings.
Gabe Speier relieved Kirby and gave up a single to the next batter, pinch-hitter Pablo Reyes, to put runners on first and second before finishing the inning with a strikeout.
In the eighth, Ryne Stanek walked the leadoff batter and gave up a two-out single to Masataka Yoshida to put runners on first and third. Muñoz came on and got out of the jam with a groundout before striking out the side in the ninth.
The Mariners loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth inning against Josh Winckowski. Jorge Polanco lined out to first to end the threat.
TRAINERS ROOM
Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers was scratched from the starting lineup before the game with left shoulder soreness, and was replaced by Bobby Dalbec.
Mariners DH Mitch Garver was also originally listed in the starting lineup but was scratched before the game with back spasms and is day-to-day.
UP NEXT
Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford will start Saturday against Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert.
