Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners Match Player Stats On Jun 23, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 24, 2017

SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez pitched six strong innings in his first start since April 25 and the Seattle Mariners hit three home runs to defeat the Houston Astros 13-3 Friday night at Safeco Field.

Hernandez (3-2), who had been on the disabled list with inflammation in his pitching shoulder, allowed eight hits and three runs. He walked one and struck out six.

Mike Zunino hit a three-run homer for Seattle, which won its season-high sixth straight game. Ben Gamel and Kyle Seager added solo shots.

The "King's Court" in the left-field corner, a group of fans who wear yellow "King Felix" T-shirts and hold up "K" signs and chant whenever Hernandez reaches a two-strike count, was overflowing Friday for the right-hander's first appearance at home since April 19. The court, which normally fills two sections, consumed four.

Hernandez was staked to a six-run lead in the third inning and cruised from there.

Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman hit solo home runs for Houston, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

Altuve hit a two-out homer, his 11th of the season, in the first off Hernandez.

The Mariners tied it in the second as Seager led off with a single, moved to second on a single by Danny Valencia and scored on Jarrod Dyson's double down the right-field line.

Seattle loaded the bases in the third as Seager was hit by a pitch after singles by Gamel and Nelson Cruz. Mitch Haniger hit a run-scoring single up the middle, then Valencia grounded a two-run single to left just past diving Astros third baseman Bregman.

An out later, Zunino hit the first pitch from Houston starter Joe Musgrove 402 feet over the bullpens in left field for a three-run homer, his 10th of the season, making it 7-1.

The Astros got one run back in the fourth as Carlos Correa led off with a single and later scored on a run-scoring single by Marwin Gonzalez.

But the Mariners continued to batter Musgrove in the fourth, knocking him out.

Gamel led off with a homer to left field, his fourth of the season. Two outs later, Seager homered to right, his eighth, giving the Mariners a 9-2 lead. After a walk to Haniger and a single by Valencia, Musgrove's night was done.

Musgrove (4-7) had his worst start of the season. He allowed nine runs on 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts, and was tagged for three home runs.

Bregman led off the fifth with a home run to straightaway center field, his eighth of the season, making it 9-3.

NOTES: All three of Seattle's runs in the seventh inning scored on wild pitches, even though RHP James Hoyt threw just two. Both 1B Danny Valencia and CF Jarrod Dyson scored on the first one, with Dyson racing home from second. Pinch-hitter Taylor Motter scored on Hoyt's second wild pitch. ... Valencia went 4-for-5, matching his career high for hits in game. It's the fourth time this season he's accomplished the feat, also doing it May 4 vs. the Los Angeles Angels, May 10 vs. Philadelphia and June 3 vs. Tampa Bay. ... Mariners LF Ben Gamel extended his hitting streak to 15 games. ... Seattle RHP Yovani Gallardo made his first relief appearance since his rookie season of 2007 with Milwaukee. Gallardo made 278 straight starts between bullpen assignments. He got the save with three scoreless innings of two-hit ball. ... The Astros plan to activate RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (6-1, 2.58 ERA) to start Saturday night against Mariners RHP Sam Gaviglio (3-1, 3.43).