Jorge Polanco’s two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth capped an eventful inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the visiting Houston Astros 4-3 Monday night in the opener of a three-game series.
Ryan Bliss hit a two-run homer for the Mariners, who snapped a three-game skid and won for just the second time in their past seven games.
Jose Altuve homered for Houston, which has lost five of its past seven games.
The Mariners entered the eighth with a 2-1 lead after a pitching duel between Houston’s Hayden Wesneski and fellow right-hander Logan Gilbert of Seattle.
The Astros’ Jake Meyers lined a leadoff single to center in the eighth off Gregory Santos and advanced to second on Mauricio Dubon’s sacrifice bunt. Meyers took third on a wild pitch, and Altuve walked and then stole second.
Isaac Paredes lined out to center field, with Meyers holding at third as Julio Rodriguez threw a strike to the plate. Mariners manager Dan Wilson walked to the mound and it appeared he might bring in Gabe Speier to face Yordan Alvarez, but instead decided to walk Alvarez intentionally to load the bases.
Christian Walker hit a grounder off third baseman Dylan Moore’s glove, the error allowing two runs to score.
Tayler Scott (0-1) walked Moore and pinch hitter Miles Mastrobuoni to open the bottom of the inning, and a sacrifice bunt by J.P. Crawford advanced the runners.
The Astros brought in Bryan Abreu, who fanned Rodriguez on a 98.6 mph fastball at the top outside corner of the strike zone. Polanco then lined a 2-1 slider off Abreu’s glove and into center field to score the tying and go-ahead runs.
Santos (1-1) earned the victory and Andres Munoz worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.
Wesneski allowed two runs on three hits over seven innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Gilbert gave up on run on one hit in 5 2/3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Bliss opened the scoring with a two-run homer to left-center field in the fifth. Altuve went deep to nearly the same spot in the top of the sixth, the only hit Gilbert allowed.
–Field Level Media
