HOUSTON – Jose Marmolejos broke the tie with a two-run single with two outs in the ninth, and the Seattle Mariners avoided a sweep by beating the Houston Astros 8-5 on Wednesday night.
JP Crawford made the lead more comfortable in that ninth inning, hitting a two-run homer.
Houston won the first game of the series, played on Monday, 11-2. On Tuesday, he rallied to win 5-4 in 10 innings.
In the ninth inning, with the score tied 4-4, Luis Torrens singled with one out and was replaced by pinch-runner Dylan Moore. Jarred Kelenic walked and the two runners advanced thanks to a wild pitch by closer Ryan Pressly (5-2).
Marmolejos singled to center field to give the Mariners the lead. Blake Taylor took over and Crawford hit his home run all over right field.
The Mariners trailed for much of the game, before drawing 4 on a Kelenic double with two outs in the seventh inning.
Diego Castillo (3-5) struck out all three of his opponents in the eighth inning for the victory. Paul Sewald accepted a solo homer from Alex Bregman in the ninth, before retiring the next three batters to end the game.
Newly hired Venezuelan Marwin González hit a two-round homer, and compatriot Jose Altuve added a solo for AL West leader Houston.
For the Mariners, the Venezuelan Torrens 4-1. The Dominican Marmolejos 5-2 with a run scored and two produced.
For the Astros, Venezuelans Altuve 5-1 with a run scored and an RBI, Gonzalez 4-1 with a run scored. The Cubans Yuli Gurriel 4-1, Yordan Álvarez 4-1 with a scored. Puerto Ricans Carlos Correa 4-2, Martín Maldonado 2-0.
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