Alameda's Woo helps the Mariners beat the Oakland A's 2-0

By DAIMON EKLUND

SEATTLE (AP) — Former Alameda High star Bryan Woo struck out eight hits in five innings and Cal Raleigh hit his 32nd home run and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 2-0 on Friday night.

Mitch Garver also scored for the Mariners, a day after Seattle was eliminated from postseason contention. Oakland also had an emotional day after playing its last scheduled home game at the Coliseum, a 3-2 win over Texas.

Woo (9-3) allowed just three hits and one walk.

“It was kind of a strange 24 hours,” said Woo, who was born in Oakland. “I know you're no longer there, but you still want to finish strong. For yourself, for the team, for the fans, for everyone. Everyone else deserves this from you and so you have to find it within yourself to give everything you have.”

He has 101 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings this season. This was the seventh time in his 22 starts that he didn't allow a run.

“He had five really strong players today,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “What an incredible season for another one of our young starters. I thought he had a great year and threw the ball well tonight.”

Oakland starter JP Sears (11-13) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings.

The Mariners opened the final three-game series of the season after their playoff hopes officially ended on a bad day when the Royals and Tigers both won and eliminated Seattle from wild-card contention.

The Mariners led the AL West for 10 games in June before hitting a skid and seeing the division lead evaporate within a month. A late surge gave Seattle a slight postseason hope that was finally extinguished on Thursday.

Still, the 41,429 crowd was relatively optimistic, especially when Garver gave Seattle a 1-0 lead with his 15th home run in the second inning.

Raleigh added another run in the third inning with his home run to center field. Raleigh leads major league catchers with 32 home runs.

Mariners relievers Gabe Speier, Gregory Santos, Tayler Saucedo and Troy Taylor each pitched an inning in Seattle's 15th shutout of the season, with Taylor earning his first career save.

“This is a big deal for him,” Wilson said. “He was given some higher impact situations and he was able to handle them. You have to love that even as a small child. He’s someone who really wants the ball in these situations and that’s a good sign.”