Urquidy Implodes, Bats Asleep in Astros Loss

Sometimes, you’re the hammer, and sometimes you’re the nail.

The Houston Astros were outclassed on Saturday night with a poor offensive display and less-than stellar pitching by starter Jose Urquidy.

J.P. Crawford got the Mariners on the board in the first inning, with an RBI-single to right. In the second, Urquidy surrendered a leadoff home run to Kyle Lewis (2) and a Jesse Winker RBI-single.

After somehow keeping Seattle off the board in the third, Eugenio Suarez scored Ty France on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. France got an RBI of his own in the fifth with an RBI-single to score Lewis and close the book on Urquidy. Although Urquidy managed to put 63-of-93 pitches in the zone, he was having far from his best day. He surrendered 12 hits in only 4 ²⁄₃ innings, struck out four, and walked two. Five of the six runs allowed were earned, and he logged a GameScore of 20.

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

In the meantime, opposing starter Logan Gilbert (5-2, 2.29) mowed through the Astros lineup for seven scoreless innings. He walked zero, allowed four hits and struck out five. Alex Bregman was the only Astros player with multiple hits, with a pair of singles. Michael Brantley pitched in with a double. Aside from them, only Jose Altuve, who left for a pinch hitter in the eighth, and Kyle Tucker collected base hits.

All nine of Seattle’s starting nine were able to hit safely off Houston pitching, as the Mariners logged their first shutout of the season. The only bright spot for the Astros was their bullpen, who pitched 3 ¹⁄₃ frames of scoreless ball. Phil Maton struck out two in a perfect seventh.

It was the second loss to start the three game set in Seattle for Houston, with 24,007 in attendance at T-Mobile Park. The visiting Astros will get one more crack at the Mariners, today starting at 3:10. Luis Garcia (3-3, 3.38) will face off against Marco Gonzalez (3-4, 3.74).