George Kirby pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Saturday night in an interleague game.

Ty France hit a two-run homer for the American League West-leading Mariners, who won their third game in a row and for the ninth time in their past 11.

Kirby (3-2), a right-hander, allowed two hits and one base on balls.

Seattle’s Andres Munoz retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Arizona rookie Slade Cecconi (1-1), starting in place of the injured Merrill Kelly, nearly matched Kirby. The righty went six innings and gave up just one run on three hits, with one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts.

The Mariners broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Mitch Garver sliced a double into the right-field corner and Luke Raley followed by lining a single to right to make it 1-0.

France went deep in the seventh off reliever Bryce Jarvis after Jorge Polanco led off the inning with a walk. France hit a 2-0 cutter over the fence in left-center field.

The Diamondbacks, who have dropped three in a row and seven of their past nine games, got on the board in the eighth. Blaze Alexander drew a two-out walk off reliever Ryne Stanek and Jake McCarthy followed with an RBI triple to right-center.

Kirby struck out the side on 12 pitches in the first inning. Arizona’s Christian Walker led off the second with a 12-pitch at-bat capped by a hard grounder up the middle for a single.

The only other hit off Kirby was Alexander’s one-out double off the top of the wall in right field in the third, a call confirmed by an umpire’s video review. Kirby followed by issuing his lone walk, to
McCarthy, before fanning Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to get out of the inning.

Kirby retired the last 14 batters he faced, pumping his fist after striking out former teammate Eugenio Suarez to end the top of the seventh.

–Field Level Media