Gilbert pitches five-hit gem, Ford, Pollock homer in Mariners’ 6-0 win over Giants

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Logan Gilbert felt the need to apologize for his awkward dance moves, though he sure looked plenty graceful for a big guy — and nobody would have cared otherwise after his masterpiece on the mound.

Seattle’s 6-foot-6 right-hander had never before let loose shuffling around in the Mariners’ postgame winning circle in what has become ritual for the finishing pitcher and his fielders after the final out.

“It was pretty cool, I always wanted to do the dance but I kind of embarrassed myself,” Gilbert said post beer shower as proud parents Keith and Noel waited to congratulate him. “… First time, hopefully it didn’t look too bad. I’ll take it.”

Gilbert struck out seven pitching a five-hit gem for his first career complete game, Mike Ford homered during a four-hit performance and AJ Pollock added a late two-run shot as the Seattle Mariners beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0 on Tuesday for their fourth straight win.

After striking out Mike Yastrzemski swinging to end the 2-hour, 20-minute Fourth of July matinee, the 26-year-old Gilbert clapped his hand into his glove and quickly went to embrace catcher Tom Murphy.

Julio Rodríguez contributed an RBI single and doubled as the Seattle offense did plenty to back right-hander Gilbert (6-5) in his winning effort facing the Giants for the first time in his career. Seattle’s four-game winning streak matches its season best with the other four-game unbeaten run coming in a sweep of Oakland from May 22-25.

Gilbert didn’t walk a batter in the 105-pitch masterpiece for Seattle’s seventh shutout, while the Mariners outhit the Giants 13-5.

After the eighth inning, Gilbert wouldn’t make eye contact with manager Scott Servais as he went to wait in the tunnel and just gave him a fist pump that all was fine to keep going. Meanwhile, his teammates began chanting from the dugout, “Logan! Logan! Logan!”

“I’m like, ‘Yeah, Logan’s going back out, guys,’” Servais said.

On his 31st birthday, Ford — “our version of Babe Ruth,” Servais said — connected for his seventh home run in the third and also doubled twice, singled and scored a run on a wild pitch by rookie right-hander Keaton Winn (0-2) in the second. The Giants lost their fourth straight game. They drew a July 4 crowd of 37,395 after a sellout for fireworks night in a 6-5 defeat Friday.

San Francisco was dealt its eighth shutout and sixth at home.

Winn had been solid in three relief appearances and one start since his June 18 callup, then gave up three runs on six hits over four innings in his second career start.

SHUTOUT TIME

Gilbert’s shutout was the first for a Mariners pitcher since lefty Yusei Kikuchi on Aug. 18, 2019, at Toronto. At 26 years, 60 days old, Gilbert also became the youngest to do so for Seattle since Taijuan Walker at 24 years, 31 days, on Sept. 13, 2016, on the road against the Angels.

ALL-STAR ADDS Rodríguez and right-hander George Kirby were added to the AL roster for the All-Star game in Seattle next week.

“It’s real special,” Servais said of them representing at home.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: 1B Ty France was a late scratch with Jarred Kelenic replacing him batting third. France missed his second straight game and had been dealing with soreness from a collision Sunday with Tampa Bay’s Isaac Paredes. … RHP Bryce Miller, placed on the injured list Monday with a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, is “not going to pitch for a while,” according to Servais, and for now will be limited to light catch.

Giants: LHP Scott Alexander was reinstated from the 15-day injured list from a hamstring injury and OF Bryce Johnson optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. … Manager Gabe Kapler wanted OF Michael Conforto to have one more day at designated hitter before he returns to playing the outfield after he returned to the lineup Monday from dealing with left hamstring tightness from a tough catch and throw in Toronto last Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Seattle hadn’t named a starter for Wednesday’s series finale after Miller’s injury while RHP Alex Cobb (5-2) starts for San Francisco.

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