ATLANTA — Logan Gilbert’s second pitch of the game — a 96-mph fastball — was dumped into center field for leadoff single by Ronald Acuna.
His fourth pitch of the game, also a 96-mph fastball, went over the wall in deep left-center by Matt Olson for a two-run homer.
His fifth pitch of the game was sent back up the middle by Sean Murphy for a single.
Five pitches and three batters into the game, Gilbert and the Mariners were down two runs and trending toward more.
But Gilbert was able to reel in his outing, turning to his entire pitch repertoire and going away from any normal tendencies against a stacked Braves lineup, not allowing another run over the next five innings.
The Mariners offense produced a performance that resembled something more than adequate, executing in situational-hitting plate appearances and getting a timely two-run homer from Eugenio Suarez to earn a 7-3 victory over the Braves.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak. The Mariners will go for the series win against the National League’s best team with right-hander George Kirby getting the start.
Gilbert pitched six innings, allowing just the two runs on four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Gilbert’s 11th pitch might have turned his entire start around. Having already gotten Austin Riley to hit into a much-needed force out at second on his seventh pitch, Gilbert got ahead of left-handed hitting Eddie Rosario 0-2.
Catcher Tom Murphy called for a splitfinger fastball — it was nowhere near the plate. Murphy called for the same pitch again. This time Gilbert executed for a swinging strike three.
It wouldn’t be the last time he threw the splitter.
Gilbert walked Ozzie Albies, but came back to strike out Marcell Ozuna to end the inning.
The Ozuna strikeout was the first of 15 straight hitters Gilbert retired. Austin Riley broke up the stretch with a two-out single in the sixth inning. But Gilbert came back to get Rosario to pop out.
During his outing, Gilbert threw the splitfinger a career-high 26 times, generating seven swings and misses.
It was a difference-maker pitcher.
As for the offense, the Mariners picked up three runs in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Taylor Trammell and a sac fly from Jose Caballero and another RBI single from J.P. Crawford to take the lead.
Seattle added two more runs in the fifth inning on a sac fly from Suarez and a single from Teoscar Hernandez.
Suarez broke the game open with a two-run homer in the seventh.
