George Kirby strikes out a career-high 12 as the Mariners beat the Diamondbacks 3-1

SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby struck out a career-high 12 batters in seven scoreless innings, Ty France hit a two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Saturday night.

Kirby (3-2) gave up two hits, recorded eight of his first nine outs via strikeout and retired his final 14 batters. He ran into his only bit of trouble in the third, giving up a one-out double to Blaze Alexander and a walk to Jake McCarthy before striking out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte.

Kirby hit 99.3 mph with his fastball and induced 23 swings and misses.

“Wow, George Kirby,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Tough to get a hit tonight on both sides, but our guy was fantastic. Can't say enough from where he came out in the first inning, probably as good a stuff as we've seen him have all year.”

Kirby extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings.

“You kind of know from the beginning," he said. “You start warming up and you're like, OK, it's going to be a good day. Feel good, and just got to execute. I did my job today.”

The AL West-leading Mariners have won three straight and nine of 11, and have won four consecutive series.

Seattle’s starting pitchers have allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 consecutive starts, a franchise record.

Arizona starter Slade Cecconi (1-1) kept pace with Kirby early, striking out seven and allowing one hit over the first four innings. He gave up a run in the fifth on Luke Raley's RBI single.

Cecconi struck out eight while allowing three hits over six innings.

Reliever Bryce Jarvis walked Jorge Polanco in the seventh before France took him deep with a 410-foot shot to right-center.

“Our pitching staff is elite, one of the best in the game,” France said. “Honestly all it takes some nights is just one run.”

McCarthy had an RBI triple in the eighth for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four of five.

“It's pretty frustrating,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We knew full well it was going to be hard when we came in here. This is a quality pitching staff and we've just got to be better. We've got to find a way to get it done, it's not going to fix itself.”

Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Zac Gallen (right hamstring tightness) felt better on Saturday after leaving in the top of the sixth inning Friday. Gallen is expected to throw a bullpen on Monday and make his next scheduled start. ... RHP Paul Sewald (oblique) will have his rehab slowed down due to soreness but is still “very close” to a return, Lovullo said.

Mariners: RHP Matt Brash (elbow) has been shut down indefinitely. Brash threw Friday and did not feel good afterward. His scheduled rehab appearance on Saturday at Triple-A Tacoma was scrapped. ... RHP Bryan Woo (elbow) allowed two hits and struck out six batters in 3 1/3 innings in his second rehab start at Tacoma.

UP NEXT

Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (2-0, 1.87 ERA) will pitch Sunday against Diamondbacks righty Brandon Pfaadt (1-1, 4.97).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, reacts after Ty France, left, hit a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andrés Muñoz throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andrés Muñoz (75), catcher Cal Raleight, left, and teammates celebrate a 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver reacts after hitting a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Slade Cecconi points to center fielder Corbin Carroll after Carroll caught a long fly ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Mitch Garver is greeted in the dugout after scoring on an RBI single by Luke Raley against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas reacts after grounding out against the Arizona Diamondbacks to end the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby reacts after striking out Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez to end the top of the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

An apartment block partially collapsed in the Russian border city of Belgorod on Sunday, leaving at least 19 injured. Officials blamed Ukrainian shelling and said there were also likely deaths.

Online footage showed rescuers searching for survivors among the remnants of the building’s stairwell, then fleeing the scene as part of the roof crashed to the ground.

In a statement, Russia’s Investigative Committee, the country’s top law enforcement agency, said that the 10-story block had been hit by Ukrainian shelling. It said that there were dead and injured among the rubble, but provided no further details.

The Russian Defense Ministry wrote on social media that the building had been damaged by fragments of a downed Tochka-U TRC missile. It also said that air defenses had shot down several more rockets over the Belgorod region, as well as two drones that were destroyed in a separate incident later Sunday.

At least 19 people were injured in the building’s collapse, said local Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov. Air raid alerts continued across Belgorod as rescuers worked.

The city previously came under fire Saturday evening, killing one person and injuring 29 more, Gladkov said on social media.

Cities across western Russia have come under regular attack from drones since May 2023, with Russian officials blaming Kyiv. Ukrainian officials never acknowledge responsibility for attacks on Russian territory or the Crimean Peninsula.

The Belgorod region, on Russia's western border, has been the target of a large number of strikes. Although most cross-border shelling is seen in rural areas, attacks have also been seen on the region's capital. In December 2023, shelling in the heart of Belgorod city killed 25 people, prompting authorities to start erecting public shelters.

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video released by Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov’s Telegram channel on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov Telegram channel via AP)