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Seattle Mariners

James Paxton returns to Mariners rotation but struggles in loss

Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa (1) signals back toward the dugout after hitting an RBI-double to score Jose Altuve during the first inning of a baseball game as Seattle Mariners first baseman Yonder Alonso (10) walks away Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Houston. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
By Bob Dutton Tacoma News Tribune

This wasn’t the James Paxton the Mariners were hoping to see when he returned Friday night to face Houston after missing 31 games because of a strained left pectoral muscle.

Paxton’s velocity was down 4-5 mph from his usual upper-90s range, and his command was spotty. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings but labored through 50 pitches, including 37 in a rough three-run first inning.

The Astros cuffed Paxton for three runs before he departed and kept the Mariners at arm’s length in rolling to a 5-2 victory at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

“Pax was just out of sync mechanically,” manager Scott Servais said. “His arm felt fine. There are no issues there. It’s just his timing and where he was at mechanically, the release point and feeling like he knew where the ball was going.”

The loss dropped the Mariners back to .500 at 74-74. They remained 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota in the race for the American League’s final wild-card berth, because the Twins lost to Toronto, but they have just 14 games remaining.

Nor is the rest of the weekend particularly promising; they must now face former Cy Young Award-winners Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander in the final two games of the series.

The first inning Friday set the tone.

After Jean Segura opened the game with a squib double past first base, Astros starter Charlie Morton struck out Mitch Haniger, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz.

Houston then sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs while forcing Paxton to throw 37 pitches in his first inning since exiting an Aug. 10 start because of that strained pec.

Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis drove in the runs.

Morton (12-7) permitted just one run in six innings – and that one run stemmed from an offline throw he made to second base in the fifth inning.

Paxton (12-4) little resembled the pitcher who allowed only one run to the Astros in 20 innings over three previous starts. He had permitted only two runs total in the first inning of his 20 previous starts.

“He hasn’t been out there in a month,” Servais said. “What Felix (Hernandez) gave us (Thursday) night was better than expected. Tonight, a little bit less (from Paxton). He just couldn’t get in any rhythm mechanically.”

George Springer’s one-out double in the second inning finished Paxton, whose final line showed three runs and four hits along with two walks and and two wild pitches. He faced 10 batters and failed to strike out any of them.

Ryan Garton replaced Paxton and stranded Springer by retiring the next two batters before Yovani Gallardo took over.

Houston extended its lead to 4-1 on Josh Reddick’s two-out RBI single before the Mariners answered with one run in the fifth inning.

After singles by Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia put runners at first and third with one out, the Mariners caught a break when Morton made a poor throw to second on Jean Segura’s potential double-play hopper.

The mistake permitted one run to score and brought the tying run to the plate, but Morton avoided further damage by getting Haniger to ground into a double play.

Houston pushed its lead to 5-1 on Cameron Maybin’s two-out RBI single in the sixth before Segura delivered an RBI single in the seventh.