Mariners blank Royals, tying Astros atop AL West ahead of big series

Luis Castillo threw six stellar innings, Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford each had RBI doubles and the visiting Seattle Mariners posted a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon.

Castillo (10-8) allowed three hits in his scoreless outing, striking out three and walking none for Seattle (84-69), which won its 11th game in 12 tries and pulled even with the Houston Astros atop the American League West. The Mariners begin a three-game series in Houston on Friday.

Andres Munoz worked around Vinnie Pasquantino's one-out double and a hit-by-pitch in the ninth by striking out Adam Frazier to earn his 36th save.

Stephen Kolek (5-6) threw 7 1/3 innings of two-run (one earned), two-hit ball, while striking out a career-high eight batters and walking one for Kansas City (76-77), which has dropped eight of its last 11.

Seattle struck first in the second, as Josh Naylor hit a leadoff single followed by Polanco's RBI double to give the Mariners a 1-0 edge.

After Salvador Perez and Frazier recorded consecutive one-out singles in the bottom of the second, Castillo retired 10 straight Kansas City batters before Carter Jensen's single in the fifth.

Kolek's streak went even further, as the Kansas City starter retired 16 consecutive Mariners before Naylor's two-out walk in the seventh.

In relief of Castillo, Eduard Bazardo threw a perfect seventh.

After Kolek struck out Eugenio Suarez to begin the eighth, Dominic Canzone seemingly grounded out to second baseman Michael Massey. Seattle then challenged that Massey began the play with his heels on the outfield grass, resulting in a defensive shift violation.

Daniel Lynch IV then relieved Kolek and surrendered Crawford's run-scoring double to push Seattle's lead to 2-0.

Both teams finished with just five hits. Naylor was the only player to hit safely twice.

--Field Level Media