Astros belt three solo homers, defeat Mariners, 3-2

SEATTLE _ The Houston Astros might play in a hitter-friendly stadium with a left-field wall short enough to make Munenori Kawasaki a sometime home-run hitter.tmpplchld But their 220 homers _ second most in the American League _ aren’t just a product of Minute Maid Park. Of those homers, 92 have been hit on the road. Their power is very real. And it was very much on display Monday night in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners.tmpplchld Safeco Field is far from a bandbox, and on a chilly late September night with the roof open and temperatures in the low 60s it becomes even more imposing, yet the Astros made it look small. Houston hitters belted three solo homers to provide all of the offense needed for the victory.tmpplchld Seattle now has lost six consecutive games and could easily drop the next two against an Astros team clinging to its spot as the second wild-card team in the American League.tmpplchld It was less than an ideal beginning to an outing for Roenis Elias, who worked six innings, giving up two runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts in a no-decision.tmpplchld Elias gave up solo homers to George Springer _ a booming shot to deep right-center _ and Evan Gattis _ a thunderous blast into the Mariners’ bullpen _ as Seattle fell behind 2-0.tmpplchld But the left-hander settled in after the first-inning homers, working the next five innings and not allowing a runner to reach second base.tmpplchld His teammates even took him off the hook for the loss, tying the game.tmpplchld Seattle answered Houston immediately in the bottom of the first. Kyle Seager drew a one-out walk and later scored on Mark Trumbo’s run-scoring single through the left side to trim the disadvantage to 2-1.tmpplchld Houston starter Lance McCullers then retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced, allowing just one hit. But Ketel Marte broke that string of success in the top of the sixth with a leadoff homer to right field. Marte sat on a 3-1 fastball from McCullers and hit a deep fly ball that carried into the seats. It was his second homer of the season.tmpplchld But the game didn’t stay tied for long.tmpplchld Right-hander Danny Farquhar came in to pitch the seventh inning for Seattle and has been the case far too often this season, he was victimized by one poor pitch. With two outs, Farquhar hung a first-pitch curveball to Chris Carter. The hulking Carter turned on the gift, blasting it over the wall in left field for his 23rd homer of the season and a 3-2 lead.tmpplchld It’s been a brutal season for Farquhar. Last season, he appeared in 66 games, pitched a total of 71 innings and allowed five homers. This year, he’s appeared in 41 games, pitched 47 innings and given up eight homers.tmpplchld Seattle had minimal chances to overcome the one-run deficit. But a well-timed pickoff move from Houston pitcher Tony Sipp to get James Jones leaning for an out in the seventh didn’t help.tmpplchld In the ninth, the Mariners’ three best hitters _ Seager, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz _ all struck out.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 The Seattle Timestmpplchld Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld