Mariners Inflict Crushing Defeat of Astros with Massive Comeback Victory, 11-8

In the first inning of this game, it looked like the Astros were going to not only crush the Mariners but humiliate them in the process. In the end, instead of a rout by the Astros, it was a rout of the Astros, as the Mariners overcame a 7-0 deficit to win 11-8 on the strength of an eighth-inning grand slam by Dylan Moore

The game started auspiciously for the Stros in the first.

After a single and a walk by Michael Brantley and Yuli Gurriel, respectively, Yordan Alvarez put the first run of the game up with a single to right. Carlos Correa added the second run with a double, and then back-to-back homers by Kyle Tucker and Abraham Toro put the Astros up 6-0 against the M’s rookie pitcher Darren McCaughn.

Martin Maldonado added another Astros run in the fourth with a solo homer, but the Mariners began their comeback with three runs in the bottom of the inning. After a throwing error by pitcher Luis Garcia loaded the bases, Cal Raleigh hit a double to score all three Mariner runs in the inning.

The Astros added a run in the fifth on another Maldonado RBI, this time a single scoring Correa, who doubled yet again.

But the M’s made it a two-run game in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a Kyle Seager three-run homer, making the score 8-6.

The Mariners would add another run in the sixth on a Shed Long single, scoring Luis Torrens, making it a one-run game, 8-7.

The big blow for the Mariners came in the eighth as the Ryne Stanek/Brooks Raley relief combination managed to load the bases with two outs. Raley left a hanging breaking ball up to Dylan Moore, who jacked it deep to left, a grand slam that put the Mariners up 11-8.

Brooks Raley hit the next batter, J.P. Crawford, and was ejected from the game. Reliever Joe Smith then picked off Crawford before throwing a pitch.

(With a 7.48 ERA that was probably Smith’s best shot at getting an out)

After spending most of July winning close pitching duels, the Astros bats finally came alive again, and yet at the same time the whole pitching staff, starters, and relievers could not hold a massive lead.

Luis Garcia had his worst outing of the season, allowing six runs, five earned, in 4.2 innings although he had nine strikeouts.

The big fail by Stanek and Raley puts further pressure on the front office to get a quality relief pitcher at the upcoming trade deadline.

Box score and videos HERE.