Seattle Mariners lose first place, fall 4-2 to Houston Astros

SEATTLE (AP) — Jake Meyers hit a two-run homer to give the Astros a lead off former Houston reliever Ryne Stanek in the seventh inning, and the Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Saturday night to take sole possession of the American League West lead for the first time this year.

Houston Astros 4, Seattle Mariners 2: Stats Chart

Stuck in a catch-up race through the first three and a half months of the season, Houston has won six of eight games to move into sole possession of first place.

“It’s great to hear that, but I think it’s the same thing as the first or second month, when you’re down 10 or 12 games. I think we’ve taken that same mindset, we’ve just got to keep winning the game at hand and playing together, and we’re a great team when we do that,” Meyers said.

Seattle lost its fifth straight game — its longest losing streak since six in a row in May 2022 — and dropped out of first place for the first time since May 11.

“This club goes through a lot. It happens over the course of a season,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We have guys who are struggling right now to get traction and get going, and they know it. They feel it. And the team in the other dugout, across the way, is playing really good baseball right now.”

Meyers hit a 1-2 shot from Stanek (6-3) to right-center field for his 11th home run. Stanek led off the inning by walking Jeremy Peña, and Meyers’ home run cost George Kirby a chance at a win after he had allowed just one run in six innings.

Yainer Diaz added a solo home run in the eighth inning off reliever Trent Thornton that bounced off the top of the wall.

Julio Rodriguez snapped Seattle’s 14-inning scoreless drought with a two-run home run off Framber Valdez to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. It was his 11th of the season, and Rodriguez nearly hit a second long shot in the eighth against Ryan Pressly, but Trey Cabbage leapt to the right-field wall.

Cabbage even made the same “no steal” gesture that Rodriguez makes after one of his defensive gems.

“He had me at home (in Houston), so I had to return the favor in a subtle way,” Cabbage said.

It was one of two terrific defensive plays by the Astros in the eighth, as Joey Loperfido ended the inning by diving to catch Mitch Garver’s throw in the left-field corner and prevented a run from scoring.

“Joey ran to the ball, the ball got away from him and he stayed with it the whole way, made a great jump, dove and caught it. I mean, just two huge plays,” Meyers said.

Valdez pitched 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits, walked four and struck out six. Tayler Scott (7-3) got the final out of the sixth inning before Bryan Abreu, Pressly and Josh Hader finished the final three innings. Hader earned his 20th save.

“I threw to good spots. I think the only bad spot I threw to was the one Julio was able to reach,” Valdez said through an interpreter.

Kirby allowed four hits and struck out six. Houston’s only run against him came on Peña’s infield single that scored Alex Bregman in the fourth inning.

An unusual strikeout

Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez was tagged out to end the first inning when he was called for a pitch clock violation for not being ready in the box before a 3-2 delivery from Kirby.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Astros: Relief pitchers Justin Verlander (neck discomfort) and Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery) threw balls in the bullpen. Verlander threw about 40 pitches with increased intensity, while Garcia threw 15. Both are expected to pitch again early next week. … Catcher Victor Caratini (hip) is expected to catch for a second straight day at Double-A Corpus Christi.

FOLLOWING

Astros: Right-handed pitcher Ronel Blanco (9-4, 2.56 ERA) has allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts but lost to Texas in his final outing before the All-Star break.

Mariners: Right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo (3-1, 2.45 ERA) will make just his second start since June 24. Woo allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings on July 12.

More information about the Seattle Mariners

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• Servais explains Mariners’ rotation strategy for series against Astros
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• ESPN’s Passan: One-hitter is most logical fit for trade with Mariners
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