The Houston Astros mounted a stunning four-run rally in the eighth inning and claimed a series victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners with a 7-5 win on Wednesday.
The Astros batted around in the eighth while erasing a 5-3 deficit, initiating the comeback against Mariners right-hander Rafael Montero (2-1) with a one-out single from Kyle Tucker, who later scored on a throwing error by Seattle first baseman Evan White. Aledmys Diaz and Jason Castro emerged from the bench for an RBI single and bases-loaded walk, respectively, before Jose Altuve added a sacrifice fly that drove home Diaz and concluded the outburst.
The Seattle bullpen entered Wednesday with a scoreless streak of 10 2/3 innings. Ryne Stanek worked a perfect ninth for Houston, earning his first save. Joe Smith (1-1) took the win in relief.
The Mariners fashioned a surprising two-out rally in the fourth to erase a 2-1 deficit, sparked when Astros right-hander Zack Greinke issued back-to-back walks to Jose Marmolejos and Taylor Trammell. Luis Torrens, who blasted the first pitch of the third inning 426 feet and out to left-center field for his first homer of the season, struck again with a two-run double that lifted Seattle to a 3-2 advantage.
J.P Crawford, swinging on a 3-0 count, then drilled a fastball to right for a double that scored Torrens.
It was an aberrant performance and the shortest start of the season for Greinke, who entered having walked only four batters all season — none in his previous two starts. He allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while also hitting a batter over four innings. Greinke threw 85 pitches with only 46 strikes, and generated just two swings and misses on 31 fastballs.
Kyle Lewis extended the Mariners’ lead to 5-2 with his two-out, solo home run off Astros right-hander Brandon Bielak in the fifth, and Seattle right-hander Justin Dunn pitched into the sixth inning before beginning to waiver. He departed after surrendering a two-out double to Yuli Gurriel, who scored when Correa delivered an RBI single against reliever Casey Sadler.
Dunn allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media