George Kirby has been tasked too often this season with keeping the Mariners in the game while the slumbering offense stirs to life. While Kirby is a perfectionist, it’s still a tremendous ask of the 26-year-old, as it is for the rest of the rotation, navigating opposing lineups like trying to find the tasty fish in poisonous blowfish while waiting for the offense to get into gear. Tonight the offense gave Kirby a break with some early run support, and he in turn rewarded them with what Scott Servais called “a vintage George Kirby performance.”
The Mariners went to work on Royals starter Brady Singer early, driving his pitch count up to triple digits by the fifth inning.