Blackburn pitched 6.1 scoreless innings against Seattle on Saturday, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out five. He did not factor in the decision.
Blackburn stranded three runners in scoring position over the first two innings before settling in and retiring 14 straight batters. The right-hander was pulled while ahead by a run with one out and one on in the seventh, but he had to settle for a no-decision when the Mariners tied the score in the following frame. This was Blackburn's first quality start since June 10 and only his second such performance over his past nine outings. He's slowed down a bit after a remarkable start to the campaign, but the veteran still has a strong 2.90 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 67:22 K:BB over 87 frames overall.