McCullers, Reddick power Astros past Mariners
The Sports Xchange
Jun 25, 2017
SEATTLE -- Lance McCullers Jr. pitched five strong innings and Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer as the Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-2 on Saturday night at Safeco Field.
McCullers (7-1), who was activated from the 10-day disabled list before the game, opened with four perfect innings.
The right-hander, who had been out with lower back discomfort, lasted five-plus innings. He allowed one run on four hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.
Brian McCann added a three-run double for the American League West-leading Astros, who won for the fifth time in six games and snapped the second-place Mariners' season-high winning streak at six.
The Mariners made things interesting in the ninth against Houston closer Ken Giles, loading the bases with two outs to bring up pinch hitter Mike Zunino, whose 29 RBIs this month leads the major leagues.
Giles walked Zunino on a 3-2 pitch to bring in a run, but struck out Carlos Ruiz on a called third strike to end it.
Leading 2-1, the Astros loaded the bases in the seventh with singles by George Springer and Carlos Correa and a catcher's interference call on Ruiz.
With two outs, McCann hit a ball down the right-field line. Mitch Haniger made a diving attempt and had the ball in his mitt, but it popped out when Haniger hit the turf. The three-run double gave Houston a 5-1 advantage.
The Mariners didn't have a baserunner until Nelson Cruz's infield single to lead off the fifth.
Cruz topped the ball down the third-base line. Alex Bregman charged and made a bare-handed play, but his throw wasn't in time to get Cruz.
Kyle Seager followed with a one-hop double off the center-field wall, putting Mariners at second and third.
McCullers struck out Haniger and then got Jarrod Dyson to ground directly to second baseman Jose Altuve. Cruz was trapped midway between third base and the plate, caught in a rundown by McCann for the second out as Seager advanced to third. Taylor Motter stuck out to end the inning.
The Mariners threatened again in the sixth as Ruiz led off with a double and Jean Segura hit a sharp grounder up the middle that shortstop Correa was able to knock down but had no chance to make a play at first.
That spelled the end for McCullers.
Reliever Will Harris came in with runners at first and third. He struck out Ben Gamel, but Robinson Cano grounded a run-scoring single to right field, with Segura taking third. But Harris got Cruz to ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, preserving Houston's 2-1 lead.
Seattle starter Sam Gaviglio escaped two-on jams in each of the first two innings, but not in the third.
Springer led off the inning with a single, then was awarded another base when second-base umpire Angel Hernandez called Gaviglio for a balk on a pick-off attempt.
That seemed to unnerve the rookie right-hander as Reddick crushed a 1-0 pitch over the center-field wall to open the scoring.
Gaviglio went six innings, allowing the two runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out three.
NOTES: Saturday was "Turn Back the Clock Night" at Safeco Field, with the Mariners wearing caps and jerseys from their inaugural 1977 season and the Astros decked out in their orange and yellow rainbow tops and orange caps. ... Astros 1B Marwin Gonzalez was a late scratch for Saturday's game, suffering from what the team called tightness in his right oblique. Yuli Gurriel replaced Gonzalez at first and in the No. 7 spot in the batting order. ... Seattle LF Ben Gamel saw his 15-game hitting streak snapped as he went 0-for-4. ... Astros RHP Brad Peacock was scheduled to start Sunday's series finale, but instead headed back late Friday night to West Palm Beach, Fla., as his wife, Stephanie, was about to give birth to their first child. Peacock made it back home in time and tweeted Saturday that Colton Joseph Peacock was born at 1:46 p.m., weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 21 inches. "Mom & baby are great!" Peacock tweeted. Peacock was placed on the paternity list and RHP Jordan Jankowski was recalled from Triple-A Fresno. RHP Francis Martes (2-0, 5.02 ERA) will start for Peacock on Sunday against Seattle LHP Ariel Miranda (6-3, 4.04). ... The Astros made another roster move, sending RHP Joe Musgrove to Fresno. Musgrove allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings Friday night in a 13-3 loss to the Mariners.
Jun 25, 2017
SEATTLE -- Lance McCullers Jr. pitched five strong innings and Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer as the Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-2 on Saturday night at Safeco Field.
McCullers (7-1), who was activated from the 10-day disabled list before the game, opened with four perfect innings.
The right-hander, who had been out with lower back discomfort, lasted five-plus innings. He allowed one run on four hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.
Brian McCann added a three-run double for the American League West-leading Astros, who won for the fifth time in six games and snapped the second-place Mariners' season-high winning streak at six.
The Mariners made things interesting in the ninth against Houston closer Ken Giles, loading the bases with two outs to bring up pinch hitter Mike Zunino, whose 29 RBIs this month leads the major leagues.
Giles walked Zunino on a 3-2 pitch to bring in a run, but struck out Carlos Ruiz on a called third strike to end it.
Leading 2-1, the Astros loaded the bases in the seventh with singles by George Springer and Carlos Correa and a catcher's interference call on Ruiz.
With two outs, McCann hit a ball down the right-field line. Mitch Haniger made a diving attempt and had the ball in his mitt, but it popped out when Haniger hit the turf. The three-run double gave Houston a 5-1 advantage.
The Mariners didn't have a baserunner until Nelson Cruz's infield single to lead off the fifth.
Cruz topped the ball down the third-base line. Alex Bregman charged and made a bare-handed play, but his throw wasn't in time to get Cruz.
Kyle Seager followed with a one-hop double off the center-field wall, putting Mariners at second and third.
McCullers struck out Haniger and then got Jarrod Dyson to ground directly to second baseman Jose Altuve. Cruz was trapped midway between third base and the plate, caught in a rundown by McCann for the second out as Seager advanced to third. Taylor Motter stuck out to end the inning.
The Mariners threatened again in the sixth as Ruiz led off with a double and Jean Segura hit a sharp grounder up the middle that shortstop Correa was able to knock down but had no chance to make a play at first.
That spelled the end for McCullers.
Reliever Will Harris came in with runners at first and third. He struck out Ben Gamel, but Robinson Cano grounded a run-scoring single to right field, with Segura taking third. But Harris got Cruz to ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, preserving Houston's 2-1 lead.
Seattle starter Sam Gaviglio escaped two-on jams in each of the first two innings, but not in the third.
Springer led off the inning with a single, then was awarded another base when second-base umpire Angel Hernandez called Gaviglio for a balk on a pick-off attempt.
That seemed to unnerve the rookie right-hander as Reddick crushed a 1-0 pitch over the center-field wall to open the scoring.
Gaviglio went six innings, allowing the two runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out three.
NOTES: Saturday was "Turn Back the Clock Night" at Safeco Field, with the Mariners wearing caps and jerseys from their inaugural 1977 season and the Astros decked out in their orange and yellow rainbow tops and orange caps. ... Astros 1B Marwin Gonzalez was a late scratch for Saturday's game, suffering from what the team called tightness in his right oblique. Yuli Gurriel replaced Gonzalez at first and in the No. 7 spot in the batting order. ... Seattle LF Ben Gamel saw his 15-game hitting streak snapped as he went 0-for-4. ... Astros RHP Brad Peacock was scheduled to start Sunday's series finale, but instead headed back late Friday night to West Palm Beach, Fla., as his wife, Stephanie, was about to give birth to their first child. Peacock made it back home in time and tweeted Saturday that Colton Joseph Peacock was born at 1:46 p.m., weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 21 inches. "Mom & baby are great!" Peacock tweeted. Peacock was placed on the paternity list and RHP Jordan Jankowski was recalled from Triple-A Fresno. RHP Francis Martes (2-0, 5.02 ERA) will start for Peacock on Sunday against Seattle LHP Ariel Miranda (6-3, 4.04). ... The Astros made another roster move, sending RHP Joe Musgrove to Fresno. Musgrove allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings Friday night in a 13-3 loss to the Mariners.
