Field Level Media
Jul 30, 2022
Pinch-hitter Abraham Toro delivered a two-out, two-run single as the visiting Seattle Mariners turned a ninth-inning rally into a 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Toro turned on a first-pitch slider from Astros closer Ryan Pressly (3-3), driving in Jesse Winker and Adam Frazier to erase a one-run deficit and help the Mariners end a five-game losing skid to Houston.
Erik Swanson (2-0) pitched around two hits in the eighth inning to earn the win for Seattle. Closer Paul Sewald recorded his 13th save with a perfect ninth.
Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve hit consecutive doubles to spark a two-run Astros rally in the seventh inning. Altuve then scored the go-ahead run when Yuli Gurriel delivered an RBI single to center field for a 4-3 lead.
Astros starter Framber Valdez survived a ragged first frame to extend his streak of consecutive quality starts to 17 by logging seven innings.
Valdez plunked a pair of batters, Ty France and Dylan Moore, while also surrendering a trio of singles in the top of the first. France subsequently scored on a single to center by Eugenio Suarez. Kyle Lewis, whose single to center pushed France into scoring position, later crossed the plate when J.P. Crawford beat out a double-play grounder for a 2-0 lead.
Valdez allowed an RBI single to Frazier that enabled Seattle to take a 3-0 lead. Valdez struck out Sam Haggerty to stop the bleeding, then proceeded to face just one batter over the minimum over his final six innings.
Valdez needed just 74 pitches to complete his final six innings. He allowed five hits and one walk, with seven strikeouts en route to his major-league-best 18th quality start.
Astros left fielder Aledmys Diaz recorded the first hit against Seattle starter Chris Flexen with a homer leading off the fifth, his ninth overall and third of the series. Diaz added an RBI single in the sixth and finished 3-for-3 with a walk.
Flexen gave up two runs on three hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.
--Field Level Media