Julio Rodríguez hit an infield single in the eighth inning to give the Mariners the lead, following Josh Rojas’ RBI double, helping them secure a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Rodríguez’s single also led to another run, as Alex Bregman’s throwing error allowed Rojas to score and Rodríguez to advance to second base.
The Mariners’ winning rally began with Mitch Haniger’s double, followed by Jonatan Clase pinch-running and scoring on Rojas’ double down the first-base line after Ryan Bliss walked and J.P. Crawford struck out.
Rodríguez hit a dribbler to Bregman, whose throw to first baseman José Abreu went wide, allowing Rojas to score.
The Astros’ manager, Joe Espada, acknowledged the importance of Haniger’s double and Bliss’s walk in the pivotal inning, emphasizing the Astros’ missed opportunities to retire hitters.
Before Haniger’s double, the Astros had retired 15 straight Mariners hitters. Astros’ starter Hunter Brown pitched six innings, allowing just one run and four hits with nine strikeouts. However, the Astros’ pitchers struck out 14 Mariners, with Brown retiring the final 12 batters he faced.
Rojas emphasized the importance of staying calm, even when trailing for most of the game, and credited the team’s resilience in rallying for the win.
Rodríguez started the scoring for the Mariners with an RBI single in the first inning. In the second inning, Luke Raley prevented a home run by robbing Jeremy Peña of a deep fly ball to left field.
Later, Bregman hit a two-run homer off Mariners’ starter Luis Castillo in the fourth inning. Castillo pitched six innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out six.
