Crawford caps Mariners rally with RBI single in 9th to beat reeling Astros 8-7

SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford singled home the winning run after Bryan Abreu walked the bases loaded with one out in the ninth inning, and the Seattle Mariners rallied past the skidding Houston Astros 8-7 on Saturday night.

Cal Raleigh homered and had three RBIs for the Mariners, who trailed 7-2 before scoring five times in the fifth. Crawford hit a two-run single, Raleigh followed with a sacrifice fly and Julio Rodríguez tied it with a two-run homer.

The 426-foot shot to center field was Rodríguez’s first home run this season.

Yordan Alvarez homered and had three of Houston’s 17 hits, but the Astros lost their sixth straight game. All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña exited in the fourth because of right posterior knee tightness.

Taylor Trammell delivered an early three-run double and Cam Smith had a career-high four hits for Houston — including a two-run single that capped a 13-pitch at-bat.

Carlos Correa also had three hits and scored twice for the Astros, who stranded 13 runners. They loaded the bases in the top of the ninth before Alvarez flied out against Andrés Muñoz (2-1).

Alvarez already has six homers and 14 RBIs this season.

Abreu (0-2) walked Cole Young, pinch-hitter Brendan Donovan and Leo Rivas in the ninth before Crawford lined a single into left field. It was his seventh walk-off hit, tying Jim Presley for the team record.

Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. allowed six runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Houston chased Luis Castillo in the fourth after Isaac Paredes’ single made it 7-2. Castillo gave up 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Eduard Bazardo worked out of a jam for Seattle in the seventh with runners at the corners and no outs. He retired the next three batters, striking out Trammell to end the inning.

Up next

Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (0-2, 5.40 ERA) gets the ball Sunday in the third game of the four-game series. The Astros hadn’t announced a scheduled starter yet.

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