Mariners 3, Astros 2
HOUSTON -- Seattle Mariners relievers Charlie Furbush, Yoervis Medina and Danny Farquhar worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings to preserve a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday night at Minute Maid Park.
The Mariners (60-73) snapped a six-game skid thanks in part to their bullpen, which inherited a one-run lead from Erasmo Ramirez (5-1).
Furbush entered with runners on the corners and two outs in the sixth inning and induced a long flyout to center field from Astros first baseman Brett Wallace. Furbush retired the first two Houston batters in the seventh before Medina emerged and struck out Robbie Grossman. Medina got two called third strikes to close his perfect eighth.
Farquhar worked around a leadoff walk to Houston third baseman Matt Dominguez en route to his 10th save this season. Farquhar induced Brett Wallace to roll into a 1-6-3 double play to complete the wire-to-wire victory and make the Mariners' early power surge stand.
Mariners second baseman Nick Franklin gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a solo homer to left field off Astros right-hander Jordan Lyles.
Two innings later, Seattle right fielder Franklin Gutierrez pushed the lead to 3-0 with a shot to left field, his seventh homer this season. That was the 15th home run allowed by Lyles in 121 innings as a starter and reliever.
The Astros flexed some power of their own. Jason Castro crushed a run-scoring double to straightaway center field in the fourth that scored L.J. Hoes from first and cut the deficit to two runs. Wallace opened the fifth with a solo blast to right field, his 12th homer of the season, to cut the Seattle lead to 3-2.
NOTES: Astros C Carlos Corporan is progressing through concussion rehab tests and could take live batting practice on Sunday. Corporan, placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list on Aug. 20, remained in Houston while the Astros played the White Sox in Chicago and worked on conditioning drills. ... Mariners RHP prospect Taijuan Walker will make his major league debut on Friday night. He was at Minute Maid Park briefly Thursday but had to leave before the game because he won't officially join the roster until a corresponding move is made.
