Mariners fall to Astros, 7-6

SEATTLE _ The integrity of the game was maintained in the Seattle Mariners’ 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.tmpplchld With the Mariners’ going with an “all-staff” start featuring myriad relievers working one- or two-inning stints, it seemed like an easy win for the Astros, who moved a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild-card spot.tmpplchld In the end, Houston outlasted the eight Mariners relievers used to traverse nine innings of baseball, starting with Tony Zych and ending with David Rollins.tmpplchld Seattle played it to the final out, which was somewhat fitting considering the season filled with baserunning mistakes.tmpplchld With one out, Robinson Cano singled for the fourth time in the night to put the tying run on base. James Jones pinch-ran for him. After getting picked off the night before, Jones made a major mistake on Franklin Gutierrez’s line drive to center field. Jones got too aggressive in heading to second and Carlos Gomez was able to throw him out at first base to end the game.tmpplchld The Mariners grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Astros starter Scott Kazmir. Cano hobbled/sprinted home on a wild pitch from Kazmir and Jesus Sucre singled home Mark Trumbo.tmpplchld Houston took the lead in the fifth inning, facing its second and third reliever of the game. Luis Valbuena hit a solo homer to right field to lead off the inning. Logan Kensing replaced Mayckol Guaipe and gave up an RBI double to Jose Altuve (the run was charged to Guaipe) and a run-scoring single to George Springer to make it 3-2.tmpplchld But Seattle answered and then some in the bottom of the fifth, ending Kazmir’s night and giving him another dismal outing.tmpplchld After Sucre and Ketel Marte each singled with one out, Kyle Seager ambushed the first pitch he saw from Kazmir _ a hanging slider _ crushing his career-high 26th homer of the season over the wall in center field.tmpplchld Seager’s 13th homer against a left-handed pitcher this season gave his team a 5-3 lead.tmpplchld The Mariners weren’t finished. Nelson Cruz, who has looked fatigued in the last few games, showed plenty of strength in hammering a 2-0 fastball over the wall in right field for his 44th homer of the season to make it 6-3.tmpplchld The 44 homers are the most by a Mariners hitter since Ken Griffey Jr. hit 48 in 1999.tmpplchld But pitcher No. 5 for the Mariners _ J.C. Ramirez _ couldn’t make a three-run lead last for even one out. Ramirez gave up a bunt single to Carlos Gomez, walked Luis Valbeuna and then served a booming three-run homer to Chris Carter that landed in the Mariners’ bullpen, possibly leaving a small crater and tying the score at 6.tmpplchld That was it for Ramirez. Pitcher No. 6, Joe Beimel, retired the next three hitters to end the inning.tmpplchld It was fitting that pitcher No. 7 _ Danny Farquhar _ entered the game in the seventh inning. Unfortunately for Farquhar, the Astros scored their seventh run of the game off him. With one out, Evan Gattis hit a line drive to right field. Brad Miller, who was inserted into right field to start the inning, slipped as he charged on the ball. It rolled all way to the wall and Gattis lumbered around the bases for his 11th triple of the year. It’s an even more absurd stat considering his size and speed or lack thereof.tmpplchld Gattis trotted home minutes later when Colby Rasmus blooped a broken-bat single into shallow left field for a 7-6 lead.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 The Seattle Timestmpplchld Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld