SEATTLE — The Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners were set to finish their series Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET in a matchup that put Martin Perez and Bryan Woo on the mound.
Perez entered with a 2-1 record and a 2.22 ERA in four starts, and he had not allowed more than four earned runs in any outing this season. He also had a clear track record against Seattle, holding the Mariners lineup to a.227 average across 75 at-bats.
Woo came in with a 4.61 ERA and had allowed 13 earned runs over his previous two outings, a stretch that left Atlanta with reason to like its chances in the rubber match. The Braves had hit.280 against him in 25 at-bats, and the club’s recent road form added another layer to the case, with Atlanta winning on the moneyline in 23 of its last 30 away games.
The pitching contrast mattered because the series had already been tight. Atlanta won Game 2 by a 3-2 score on Tuesday, and the opener ended 5-4, while five of the last eight meetings between the teams had gone under. Atlanta’s bullpen carried a 3.21 ERA into the finale, slightly better than Seattle’s 3.15 mark, giving both clubs a reason to trust late relief if the starters ran into trouble.
That is why the game drew attention beyond a simple midweek meeting. Atlanta had been one of the best teams early in the season, ranking near the top of the majors in nearly every offensive category and in ERA, and the finale offered a chance to back that profile with another road win. Quinn Allen framed it the same way, calling it a clash of pitchers moving in opposite directions and saying Atlanta’s offense should get to Woo early in the rubber match.
If Perez keeps the Mariners quiet the way he has for most of the season, Atlanta should leave Seattle with the series and another result that fits its form on the road. If Woo steadies himself, the Braves - Mariners finale turns into a low-scoring fight that the bullpen numbers suggest could come down to a single mistake.