Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Houston Astros 6-1 Sunday afternoon.
Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley, the Nos. 5-6 batters in Seattle’s lineup, both had three hits. Raley had two doubles and two RBIs.
Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer for the Astros’ lone run.
The Mariners have won the first three games in the four-game series between the American League West rivals.
Gilbert (1-2), the Mariners’ opening day starter, allowed one run on four hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out seven.
With two starters going on the injured list last week and another sent back to Houston for further evaluation, the Astros were forced to go with a bullpen day.
Right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1) served as the opener and allowed two runs on one hit in one-plus innings while walking four.
The Mariners scored in each of the first three innings, taking a 4-0 lead.
Leadoff hitter Brendan Donovan was hit by a pitch in the first and Josh Naylor drew a two-out walk. Arozarena lined a run-scoring single to center to make it 1-0.
In the second, J.P. Crawford, Dominic Canzone and Cole Young walked to load the bases. Bolton was forced to leave with what the Astros later called mid-back tightness. Jayden Murray entered and, after retiring two batters, walked Julio Rodriguez to give Seattle a 2-0 lead.
The Mariners scored twice more in the third. Arozarena lined a leadoff single to right and Raley doubled to left. A walk to Crawford loaded the bases. With one out, Young walked to bring home a run and Donovan hit a sacrifice fly down the right-field line to make it 4-0.
Diaz went deep to left with two outs in the fifth, cutting the Astros’ deficit to 4-1.
The Mariners scored twice more in the sixth. Rodriguez reached on an infield single with one out and Naylor was hit by a pitch. Arozarena singled to right, with Rodriguez thrown out at the plate. Raley doubled to right, scoring both remaining runners.
