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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: Evan Gattis homers twice and Astros pound M’s

Houston Astros’ Evan Gattis, right, celebrates his solo home run off Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Sam Gaviglio with Norichika Aoki during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, in Houston. (Eric Christian Smith / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

PEACOCK LIMITS M’S TO THREE HITS OVER HIS SEVEN INNINGS

What happened: Evan Gattis homered twice off Sam Gaviglio and the Houston Astros downed the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Gaviglio wasn’t sharp. He was in constant trouble and was fortunate that a couple of defensive plays helped limit the damage. He gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts over six innings.

The Mariners, meanwhile, couldn’t figure out Astros starter Brad Peacock, who struck out nine over seven innings and allowed one run on three hits and one walk.

The Astros doubled three times. Houston has now doubled in 51 straight games, tying the second longest streak in MLB history.

Line Outs

  • Gaviglio hit George Springer to start the game. Jose Altuve singled, then one out later, Carlos Beltran drew a walk. Yuli Gurriel’s flyout to center was deep enough to score Springer.
  • In the second, Evan Gattis demolished a Gaviglio sinker that sat in the middle of the plate, measured at 433 feet.
  • Things got weird in the third. Altuve singled and went to third on Josh Reddick’s double. Beltran flied out, then Gurriel flied to center, and both runners moved up. But the M’s challenged the tag play and it was clear Reddick came off the bag during the tag. Video review also confirmed the tag came before the run scored, so it turned into an inning-ending, no-run double play.
  • Astros got back on the board in the fourth. Marwin Gonzalez reached on a bunt after the exchange was fumbled, and after Gattis K’d, Norichika Aoki ripped a double into the right-field corner and Gonzalez came around to score. Alex Bregman grounded out, but Springer clubbed a double into left and Aoki scored.
  • Catcher Carlos Ruiz threw out Springer trying to steal third to end the inning. The play was close, but it was a nice pick-and-tag by Kyle Seager to nab Springer.
  • M’s finally dented the scoreboard in the fifth. Seager led off with a double, went to third on a groundout by Danny Valencia and scored on Jarrod Dyson’s single. Dyson stole second – after initially being ruled out but call reversed upon review – and went to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Ruiz and Guillermo Heredia both struck out to strand Dyson.
  • Gattis homered again in the sixth, another no-doubt-about-it shot. In the seventh, Bregman singled, went to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Altuve.
  • The M’s picked up another run in the eighth. Ruiz led off with a single and with two down, stole second base. Ben Gamel followed with a single to bring Ruiz home.

The Takeaway

Simply, Gaviglio wasn’t very good. He was in trouble in every inning and twice gave Gattis a meatball. Not to denigrate Gaviglio, but he needs to get the benefit of every corner and in a game like this where the home plate ump was calling a tight zone, he’s going to have a tough time. And he did.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: Carlos Ruiz. 1 for 3, run scored, stolen base!

Goat: Nelson Cruz. 0 for 4, two strikeouts, there left on base.

Next Game

Seattle Mariners (47-48) at Houston Astros (63-31) on Wednesday at 2:10 p.m. LHP James Paxton (8-3, 3.19) faces RHP Charlie Morton (7-3, 4.06)

What others are saying (and writing)

At least the crucial arms in the bullpen was given a bit of a breather as Gaviglio was pounded around enough early to make the outcome inevitable. … Segura surrendered the American League batting lead to Houston’s Jose Altuve. … Nelson Cruz is up for an award. … The Astros will have to do without their star shortstop for a while.