Martin Perez took a 2-1 record and a 2.22 ERA into braves - mariners on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park, with first pitch set for 4:10 p.m. ET. Seattle countered with Bryan Woo, whose 4.61 ERA and recent run prevention issues put the matchup in focus before either club threw a pitch.
Perez and Woo at T-Mobile Park
Perez was scheduled to start for Atlanta after four outings in which he had not allowed more than four earned runs. He had also held the Mariners to a.227 average across 75 at-bats, giving the Braves a clear edge in the one matchup that shaped this game from the start.
Woo came in with a 4.61 ERA and 13 earned runs allowed over his previous two outings. That split set up a sharp contrast on the mound, with one starter working from stability and the other trying to stop a slide quickly.
Atlanta’s bats and bullpen
The Braves entered ranked near the top of the majors in nearly every offensive category and in ERA, a combination that explains why they kept showing up in the moneyline market on the road. They had hit the moneyline in 23 of their last 30 away games, and that form traveled with them into Seattle.
Atlanta’s bullpen also brought a 3.21 ERA, while Seattle’s sat at 3.15. Those numbers narrowed the gap behind the starters and left the game leaning on execution in the late innings if the top of the order did not create separation early.
Series pressure at Seattle
The Braves had already won Game 2 of the series 3-2 on Tuesday after the opener finished 5-4. Five of the last eight meetings between the teams had gone under, so the recent scoring pattern pointed to another tight game rather than a wide-open night.
Atlanta’s edge was the cleaner pitching form, but the Mariners still had Woo and a bullpen close to the Braves' in run prevention. For anyone tracking this series, Perez’s track record against Seattle and Woo’s ability to hold down Atlanta’s offense were the two numbers that mattered most once the game began.
