SEATTLE – “Best starting rotation in the big leagues. They showed it last year, and so far they’ve shown it again,” Alex Cora said before the Red Sox beat the Mariners 5-1 to split the series on Sunday afternoon.

Seattle’s arms dominated over the four-game set, to be sure. But throughout the series, the Red Sox rotation also looked like a force to be reckoned with, as Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, and Garrett Whitlock began the season with four consecutive starts of at least five innings, never allowing more than two runs. According to the club’s media relations, this the fourth time in franchise history that the rotation has begun the season with four such performances. In the three prior instances – 1916, 1999, 2018 – they went to the postseason. Twice, they won the World Series.

Pitcher’s duels dominated the series, but less so in the finale. The first inning looked much like the previous two games, as both pitchers struck out three batters in the first, with Rafael Devers’ one-out single mixed in.

In the top of the second, Tyler O’Neill gave Boston a 1-0 lead with his second first-pitch home run of the series, but Whitlock got into a spot of trouble in the bottom of the frame. He allowed a leadoff double and single, and gave up the tying run on a two-out single.

But unlike Mariners starter Bryce Miller, who allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings, Whitlock settled in as the game progressed. After needing 46 pitches to get through the first two frames, the Red Sox right-hander needed just 35 to complete the following three innings. He hit the leadoff man to begin the bottom of the third, then retired his remaining nine batters.

Whitlock finished the afternoon charged with only one earned run on three hits, zero walks, and eight strikeouts over five. According to Sox media relations, Whitlock’s 5.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks fourth in franchise history among pitchers with at least 200 innings, behind Koji Uehara (7.86), Chris Sale (6.06), and Pedro Martinez (5.45).

The Boston bullpen compiled four strong innings, highlighted by rookie Justin Slaten, who debuted in extra innings on Saturday night. Slaten pitched 2 1/3 innings without allowing a baserunner to earn his first career save.

After two virtually silent nights at the plate, the Boston bats reawakened on Sunday. They drew three walks and collected ten hits, including O’Neill’s solo blast – one of his two hits in the contest – and a three-run go-ahead homer by Enmanuel Valdez in the fourth.

Though it was a quiet day at the plate for several of the team’s most electric hitters – Jarren Duran and Triston Casas were a combined 0-for-8 – Trevor Story snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a pair of singles, and Reese McGuire contributed two hits and a run batted in.

Next up, a trip to the Oakland Coliseum to face the Athletics.