Backed by 9-run 4th, Mariners' Luis Castillo stifles Astros
Luis Castillo pitched seven strong innings and the Seattle Mariners posted a nine-run fourth inning en route to a 10-1 win over the host Houston Astros on Friday.
Castillo (6-6) cruised to his second consecutive winning decision, limiting the Astros to five hits and one unearned run while recording three strikeouts. He needed just 89 pitches to cap his outing, stumbling only in the third inning when a Kolten Wong two-out error extended that frame.
One batter after Mauricio Dubon reached on the Wong miscue, Alex Bregman recorded an infield single that scored Chas McCormick and gave the Astros a 1-0 lead. Bregman nipped the throw from third baseman Eugenio Suarez, but a half-inning later, that tally was rendered moot.
Astros rookie right-hander Hunter Brown (6-6) recorded eight strikeouts over three shutout innings but labored throughout, stranding six baserunners while carrying 69 pitches into the fourth.
Brown allowed the first five batters of that inning to reach safely, with Wong delivering an RBI single that pulled the Mariners even and Julio Rodriguez a two-run single that chased Brown and lifted Seattle to a 3-1 lead. Phil Maton relieved Brown and recorded a pair of outs around a Teoscar Hernandez walk that loaded the bases before the bottom fell out beneath him.
Cal Raleigh produced a run-scoring fielder's choice that plated J.P. Crawford before Maton hit Suarez with a pitch that loaded the bases again. Jarred Kelenic, who opened the fourth with a single, followed with a bases-loaded walk that stretched the lead to 5-1 before Mike Ford added a bases-clearing double to right field for an 8-1 advantage. Wong doubled home Ford but was erased trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
The Mariners recorded six hits and three walks in addition to the hit batsman in the fourth inning, sending 12 batters to the plate. They scored five runs with two outs to eliminate any opportunity for the Astros to rally. The bottom third of the Seattle order was particularly effective with Kelenic, Ford and Wong finishing 7-for-10 with six runs and seven RBIs plus five walks. Ford homered in the ninth, his eighth of the season.
Brown allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks. He needed 88 pitches to notch nine outs.
--Field Level Media