Mariners 7, Astros 5
HOUSTON -- Logan Morrison delivered his third career pinch-hit home run and Carson Smith suppressed yet another Houston Astros rally attempt in the Seattle Mariners' 7-5 win on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Morrison snapped a 5-5 deadlock with his two-out, two-run shot to right off Astros right-hander Pat Neshek (3-4) in the eighth inning. The Astros (73-60) had twice rallied from two-run deficits and appeared set to do so again when left fielder Colby Rasmus opened the eighth with a double to left-center and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Mariners center fielder Brad Miller.
However, Smith recovered in dramatic form, striking out a pair of pinch-hitters, Hank Conger and Luis Valbuena, before punching out Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who was 2-for-3 with a walk heading into his fifth plate appearance.
The Mariners (62-71) cranked three home runs off three different Houston pitchers. Right-hander Logan Kensing (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning. Seattle closer Tom Wilhelmsen retired the side in order in the ninth to notch his seventh save on the season.
What had the makings of a long night for Astros right-hander Scott Feldman ended abruptly with two outs in the third inning when he departed with discomfort in his right shoulder. Feldman, who issued just eight walks over his first seven starts following a seven-week stay on the disabled list, walked five of the 16 batters he faced.
Three of those walks came in succession with two outs in the second inning, with third baseman Kyle Seager earning an RBI via his bases-loaded walk. Feldman opened that frame by surrendering a home run to Mariners designated hitter Franklin Gutierrez, his 11th of the season.
Feldman was charged with a third run when right-hander Vince Velasquez allowed one of his inherited runners, Gutierrez, to score when Seattle center fielder Brad Miller greeted him with an RBI single. But the Astros capped their comeback from a pair of two-run deficits when right fielder Jake Marisnick homered with two outs in the fourth.
That 3-3 tie was short lived. In the fifth, first baseman Mark Trumbo delivered a 464-foot, two-run blast off Velasquez to left-center field, scoring Gutierrez.
NOTES: Astros OF George Springer will continue his rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi through Thursday, at which time he will be re-evaluated for activation from the 15-day disabled list. Springer played his third game in right field for the Hooks on Tuesday night and, after a scheduled day off Wednesday, will serve as the designated hitter on Thursday. He landed on the DL with a right wrist fracture on July 2. ... As part of the Sept. 1 roster expansion, the Mariners recalled OF Stefen Romero and RHP Jose Ramirez from Triple-A Tacoma and selected INF Shawn O'Malley and RHP Tony Zych from Tacoma. ... The Astros recalled RHP Josh Fields and INF Jonathan Villar from Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Fresno, respectively, and selected LHP Joe Thatcher from Fresno. To make room for Thatcher on the 40-man roster, Houston designated RHP Jake Buchanan for assignment.