Mitch Haniger capped a terrific series with an RBI double in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners claimed a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 4-3 win on Sunday at Minute Maid Park.
Haniger drove home pinch-hitter Dee Gordon with his double to left field off Astros right-hander Roberto Osuna (1-1) and closed the series 9-for-17 batting from the leadoff spot. Gordon stroked a one-out single off Osuna to start the rally and set the table for Mariners closer Edwin Diaz to record his 46th save on the season and fourth of the series.
Seattle drew to within four games of the Astros in the American League West. Houston has suffered consecutive series sweeps at home and has dropped eight straight games at home.
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa recorded his first hit since returning from the disabled list last Friday, a check-swing RBI single that snapped an 0-for-7 skid and continued the Astros' three-run eighth inning.
Down 2-0 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Astros started the comeback against Mariners left-hander James Pazos and continued against right-hander Nick Vincent, who surrendered a run-scoring single to Alex Bregman that enabled Houston to cut a two-run deficit in half. Correa followed with a half swing that resulted in a sharp grounder that skipped under the glove of Seattle first baseman Ryon Healy.
Left fielder Kyle Tucker and pinch-hitter Yuli Gurriel scored on the back-to-back singles. Designated hitter Evan Gattis plated Bregman with his sacrifice fly to center for a 3-2 lead.
But when Astros closer Hector Rondon attempted to nail down the victory, Healy blasted a solo home run into the Crawford Boxes in left, tying the game with his 22nd dinger on the season.
Reinstated from the 10-day disabled list earlier on Sunday, starater Erasmo Ramirez made his first appearance for the Mariners since April 27. The hiatus did not hinder his effectiveness as Ramirez limited the Astros to three hits while recording three strikeouts. He did not issue a walk.
Ramirez allowed just one baserunner over his first four innings and, when he stumbled into trouble in his final frame, he deftly eluded any damage. With the bases loaded and no outs, Ramirez recorded consecutive called strikes against Tucker for a critical strikeout. On the ensuing pitch, he induced an inning-ending double play off the bat of Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, capping his outing with a first pump and preserving the Mariners' 1-0 lead.
Maldonado was guilty of a passed ball in the second inning, a miscue that allowed Kyle Seager to advance into scoring position following his leadoff walk against Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel. Healy followed with a seeing-eye single that scored Seager for a 1-0 Mariners lead.
Keuchel was exceptional, allowing seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings. He surrendered a solo home run to Mariners catcher Mike Zunino, his 17th, with one out in the seventh inning, which was the only earned run Keuchel gave up.
--Field Level Media
Seattle | Houston | |
Erasmo Ramirez | Player | Dallas Keuchel |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 7.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 5 |
4 | Hits | 7 |
0.00 | ERA | 1.29 |
Seattle | Houston | |
Mitch Haniger | Player | Alex Bregman |
3 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 2 |
.600 | Avg | .500 |