Mariners rally with 7 runs in 8th inning, top Astros 7-5
JP Crawford’s two-out, three-run double leveled Seattle, Jose Caballero followed up with a two-run double two batters later, and the M’s scored seven goals in 8th place
SEATTLE — SEATTLE (AP) — JP Crawford’s two-out, three-run double drew Seattle level, Jose Caballero followed two batters later with a two-run double, and the Mariners hit seven times in the eighth inning for a 7-5 -Win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.
Hampered in the first seven innings by Houston starter JP France and two assists, the Mariners broke out against Astros-Reliefs Rafael Montero and Ryne Stanek, with all the damage coming with two outs.
The Seattle rally began when Eugenio Suárez went in a 3-2 with two outs. Cal Raleigh reached in with a check swing dribble that barely got past the mound, and Teoscar Hernández’s grounder loaded bases deep in the hole at the short stop.
Crawford got the count in his favor and nailed a 3-1 fastball to the wall in right midfield to clear bases. Stanek replaced Montero (0-1) and passed pinch-hitter Taylor Trammell before Caballero lined a shot into the left midfield gap. Caballero had replaced Kolten Wong early in the game after apparently injuring himself making a jump stop on the field.
Julio Rodríguez and Jarred Kelenic also added RBI singles. All in all, the Mariners sent 12 batsmen on the plate in the inning and had seven hits with two outs.
Taylor Saucedo (1-0) pitched the eighth inning for the Mariners and earned the unexpected win. Houston’s Jake Meyers had a double against Paul Sewald in the ninth heat, but Mauricio Dubón struck to end it.
The late rally ruined what looked like a picture-perfect debut for France. The 28-year-old made his major league debut by throwing five innings of shutout, allowing three hits and scoring five.
Seattle starter Marco Gonzales pitched six innings, allowing three runs with six hits and knocking out four. Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña had two RBI hits and Kyle Tucker added a sacrificial fly.
FRANCE VS FRANCE
The duel between Seattle batter Ty France and Houston pitcher JP France marked the first time since 1997 that a batter and pitcher met and both shared the same surname as a country. According to the Mariners, the last time this happened was on September 10, 1997, when Ricardo Jordan played Kevin Jordan in a game between the Mets and the Phillies.
Ty France had two goals ahead of JP France.
TRAINING ROOM
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve scored on the field during batting practice for the first time since breaking his right thumb during the World Baseball Classic. … RHP Ronel Blanco was voted Triple A Sugar Land to free up a roster spot for France. The Astros intend to stretch out Blanco and work as a starter in the minors.
Mariners: Wong seemed shaken on a jump stop up in the fifth and struck at the end of the inning. … Seattle has put right-hander Penn Murfee on the 15-day injured list with a sore right elbow, hoping a few days rest is all it takes. RHP Juan Then was recalled by Double-A Arkansas and threw a perfect seventh inning on his major league debut.
UP NEXT Astros: RHP Brandon Bielak (0-0, 4.50) will start the season for the first time after coming on as a relieved substitute from Luis Garcia’s injury last Monday. It is his ninth career start and the first since September 24, 2021.
Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller (0-0, 1.50) makes his second start after pitching six run-enabling innings and hitting 10 against Oakland on his debut.
