Mariners' Bryan Woo searching for answers vs. Pirates

Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo will try to solve his road woes when he takes the mound for the Mariners against the Pirates on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

Woo (6-5, 3.94 ERA) will oppose Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft (6-3, 3.18) as he tries to lead the Mariners to the series win. Seattle won the opener of the three-game set 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Woo has been stellar in Seattle, going 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in seven starts. But in eight road starts, he is 1-5 with a 5.93 ERA.

Woo threw seven shutout innings, struck out nine and allowed only three hits in his most recent start at home -- a 3-0 win against the Baltimore Orioles last Thursday. But in his previous two starts on the road against the Detroit Tigers and Orioles, Woo allowed 12 earned runs over 11 1/3 innings and gave up 16 hits, including three home runs.

He lost both games despite striking out 11 and walking only one batter.

"I'm getting pretty tired of trying to come up with reasons or excuses or superlatives," Woo said following his most recent road loss, on June 11 at Baltimore. "I'm just tired of (stinking). It is what it is. I don't know. Like I said, I don't have the answers. I'm looking for them."

Woo was in much better spirits following his bounce-back win at home, especially after being gifted a special pair of cleats by a pair of young cancer patients from Seattle Children's hospital.

"It's definitely just perspective, just what's important," Woo said. "Baseball is such a small part of my life, but your health and your family and that stuff is just so much more important."

Woo is 1-0 in his only career appearance against the Pirates, which came last July 4. He limited Pittsburgh to three hits and two walks and struck out eight batters over six innings of a 6-0 win.

Ashcraft has been consistent and effective this season no matter where he's pitched, with a 3.40 ERA in eight starts at PNC Park and a 2.93 ERA in seven starts on the road.

He bounced back after a tough start to June with a 12-4 win against the Athletics seven days ago in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked three and struck out seven over six innings.

Ashcraft didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning and said he felt more comfortable against the A's, thanks to the Pirates providing an early 5-0 cushion.

"It's a lot easier when you go out and put up a (three)-spot in the first inning," Ashcraft said. "It makes pitching really easy, it makes being comfortable being in the zone really easy. Makes throwing heaters in the zone really easy, and everything plays off of that."

Ashcraft will make his first career start against the Mariners, but he has faced them before. He gave up two runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings in relief in the July 4 game last season in Seattle.

Pirates hitters mostly were held in check in the series opener on Tuesday, but the team has continued to hit well despite missing two of its biggest offensive players -- shortstop Konnor Griffin (right forearm strain) and center fielder Oneil Cruz (hand), both of whom are on the injured list.

As a team, the Pirates are batting .255, good for third in the National League behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (.261) and San Francisco Giants (.258).

Pittsburgh received some good news, though, as Griffin was set to begin his rehab assignment in the minors.

"With him progressing back, the best thing for Konnor is going on a rehab assignment to make sure that the shortstop defense is at a point that he feels really comfortable," Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said.

--Field Level Media