Mariners 3, Astros 2
SEATTLE -- Taijuan Walker matched a career high with 11 strikeouts, while Kyle Seager and Leonys Martin each homered for the second game in a row to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
Walker allowed one run off six hits over seven innings while throwing a career-high 118 pitches. Walker (2-0) got better as the game went on, recording six of his 11 strikeouts over the final two innings. His final pitch struck out catcher Erik Kratz to end the seventh.
Houston starter Doug Fister (1-3) needed 113 pitches to get through six innings, issuing a career-high seven walks while giving up a pair of solo homers and three earned runs overall.
Martin's home run tied the game at 1-1 in the third and Seager's 100th career home run broke the tie an inning later. Robinson Cano gave the Mariners a 3-1 lead with an RBI single in the fifth.
Seattle (10-9) moved over .500 for the first time since the season-opening series and won for only the second time in seven home games this year.
The Astros (6-14) lost for the sixth time in seven games while falling to 2-8 on the road.
Houston got an RBI single from center fielder Carlos Gomez to open the scoring in the top of the second, then the Astros cut the deficit to 3-2 on shortstop Carlos Correa's RBI single in the eighth.
Seattle closer Steve Cishek pitched in and out of trouble in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season. Cishek gave up a walk and two singles but stranded runners on the corners when he got Altuve to ground out to short to end the game. Gomez got a one-out single in the ninth but was thrown out trying to steal second base.
Houston left fielder Colby Rasmus, who was named the American League player of the week earlier in the day, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the loss.
NOTES: Houston LF Colby Rasmus was named the American League player of the week. It marked the second time in his career Rasmus earned the honor. It also marked the first time in the award's 42-year history that three teammates were honored in each of the first three weeks of the season, as Rasmus joined 1B Tyler White and 2B Jose Altuve as recipients. ... Seattle placed RHP Joaquin Benoit on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder. Benoit's most recent appearance was Friday and he has a 3.60 ERA over five appearances this season. He has served as the Mariners' setup man but took a few days off earlier this month because of a tired arm. ... Seattle called up RHP Mayckol Guaipe from Triple-A Tacoma before Monday's game. Guaipe was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA over 21 games during four stints with Seattle last season.