Astros 10, Mariners 0
HOUSTON -- Brett Oberholtzer worked eight scoreless innings and was the beneficiary of an eight-run first inning as the Houston Astros snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 10-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros (35-27) jumped on Mariners ace right-hander Felix Hernandez (9-3) en route to bashing four home runs. After homering twice in their first at-bat, the Astros added solo home runs in the second inning (shortstop Carlos Correa) and the fifth (first baseman Chris Carter).
Oberholtzer (1-1) didn't waste the run support, limiting the Mariners (27-34) to three hits and two walks while striking out five. He wobbled a bit in the second but worked around two baserunners. He recovered to face the minimum in four of the next five innings.
Seattle suffered its fifth shutout loss this season.
With haste, the Astros dispatched Hernandez, batting around against him in the bottom of the first.
Hernandez contributed to his own undoing with his throwing error four batters into the game. His errant toss not only allowed Astros left fielder Preston Tucker to score on a fielder's choice grounder by Evan Gattis, but it enabled right fielder George Springer to round third base and score the third run of the inning.
Springer got the Astros on the board with an RBI double that scored second baseman Jose Altuve.
Hernandez recorded one out in the first inning, a strikeout of Astros phenom shortstop Carlos Correa. Houston followed with two home runs sandwiched around a sharp single to left field by Carter.
Third baseman Luis Valbuena doubled the lead with a three-run blast, his 13th homer of the season, into the Houston bullpen in right-center field. Catcher Jason Castro chased Hernandez with a two-run shot, his seventh home run of the year.
With the Mariners trailing 8-0, manager Lloyd McClendon finally pulled Hernandez, who tied career-worst marks for earned runs allowed (eight) and fewest innings pitched (1/3). His ERA jumped from 2.51 to 3.38.
NOTES: Astros RHP Brad Peacock made his first injury rehab appearance for Double-A Corpus Christi on Thursday night, tossing two scoreless innings in a start at Midland. Peacock allowed two hits with one walk and two strikeouts on 37 pitches. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left intercostal strain on April 15. ... Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma will throw a simulated game on Monday, limited to three innings and 45 pitches, and if all goes well he will be sent on assignment to Triple-A Tacoma next Saturday. Iwakuma was placed on the 15-day disabled list April 24 with a strained right latissimus dorsi. ... After spending 17 consecutive games atop the order, Astros RF George Springer moved back to the three-hole on Friday. Springer posted a .348/.427/.485 line batting leadoff, including his first career five-hit game on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox.