Astros outslug Mariners to finish sweep
HOUSTON -- Luis Valbuena crushed his second upper-deck home run in as many nights as the Houston Astros completed a three-game series sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 9-8 win Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.
After the Mariners erased what was once a five-run deficit when Seth Smith cranked a three-run home run off Michael Feliz to knot the score at 7-7 in the seventh inning, Valbuena drilled a 2-2 fastball from Edwin Diaz (0-2) an estimated 415 feet to right field in the eighth. Jason Castro, who doubled leading off the frame, scored to give the Astros the lead.
Houston right-hander Luke Gregerson surrendered a pair of walks and an RBI double to Robinson Cano in the ninth yet picked up his 14th save by striking out Nelson Cruz and Dae-Ho Lee, the latter with the bases loaded.
Ken Giles (1-3) earned the victory after pitching one scoreless inning.
Cano had a homer, two doubles, two RBIs and two walks.
Neither starter survived the fourth inning.
The Astros (46-39) spotted right-hander Mike Fiers a 5-0 lead, scoring three times on three hits in the first off Seattle's Wade LeBlanc.
Carlos Correa blooped a one-out double down the right field line to score Valbuena and came home two batters later when Carlos Gomez (3-for-4, three RBIs) doubled off the scoreboard in left field. Jose Altuve, who singled ahead of Correa, also scored on the plate for a 3-0 Astros lead.
Houston tacked on a run in each of the second and third innings, with Evan Gattis smacking a leadoff home run, his 12th homer of the season, to stretch the lead to 4-0 before Gomez struck again against LeBlanc with an RBI triple 435 feet to straightaway center.
One trip through the order, Fiers appeared in command, inducing weak contact and allowing one hit, a bloop double by Ketel Marte in the third.
But in the fourth, the Mariners (43-42) unleashed a torrent, slugging three homers off Fiers totaling 1,143 feet. Cano started the deluge with a line-drive homer to right field, his sixth home run in 10 games against Houston and 20th overall this season.
The onslaught continued with Kyle Seager launching a 414-foot shot into the upper deck that drove home Nelson Cruz and cut the deficit to 5-3.
One batter after Seager hit his 17th home run of the season, Lee also went to right field for his 12th and, two batters later, Fiers was gone after surrendering a sharp single to catcher Chris Iannetta.
Fiers allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings, while LeBlanc gave up five runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 innings.
NOTES: Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (right calf strain) moved closer to a return from the 15-day disabled list after throwing a simulated game on Wednesday. Hernandez will pitch four innings for Class A Everett on Sunday, work out at Safeco Field on July 14 and then pitch for Triple-A Tacoma the following day. Barring any setbacks, Hernandez will pitch for the Mariners on July 20 against the Chicago White Sox at Safeco Field. ... The Astros initiated an aggressive campaign to have RF George Springer added to the American League All-Star Game roster via the final vote ballot. Springer, is batting .265 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs. ... Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right foot tendinitis. Walker has exited three recent starts early due to discomfort in his right foot, including on Tuesday night. The Mariners recalled LHP David Rollins from Triple-A Tacoma. Seattle also optioned C Mike Zunino to Tacoma and activated C Jesus Sucre (right ankle surgery) from the 60-day DL.