Luis Castillo Posts Quality Start, Leads Seattle Mariners to 3-1 Win Over Athletics

The Seattle Mariners took advantage of a down day for the rest of the American League contenders with a 3-1 win against the Athletics on Monday at Sutter Health Park.

The Mariners improved to 57-50 with the victory, moved to three games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West and retook the second AL Wild Card spot by half a game over the Boston Red Sox.

"Really good game tonight, really good effort," M's manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. "I thought we did a really good job with (Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears) early on, offensively. Pushing the limits, putting up a lot of really good at-bats."

Seattle was able to hold the red-hot Athletics and rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz to only one run in the game.

Luis Castillo guided the Mariners through the majority of the game. He struck out four, hit a batter and allowed one earned run on five hits in seven innings pitched. The only blemish let up by Castillo was a fielder's choice hit by Brent Rooker that Luis Urias scored on in the bottom of the sixth.

"Today ... I think everything was working," Castillo said via translator Freddy Llanos after the game. "Not just me, but I think the group as a whole, the whole team. I give a lot of merit of what was working for me (to) just going out there and attacking the batter."