Mariners lose series finale

SEATTLE — A full lineup resides on their injured list. It includes three of their top four hitters by OPS-plus and their most fearsome slugger. An extra-innings loss Saturday taxed their bullpen. Their co-ace turned in his shortest start of the season Sunday.

The Houston Astros still salvaged the finale of an arduous series against the Seattle Mariners it seemed they almost had to have. With an 11-3 rout, they avoided a sweep by their closest AL West pursuer and pushed their lead back to four games.

The win was Houston’s second in its last nine games, the roughest stretch of an injury-ravaged season. The Astros put third baseman Isaac Paredes, arguably their most consistent player this year, on the injured list with a right hamstring strain Sunday morning, continuing the trend.

A lineup reflecting those losses responded. Houston totaled 13 hits. Six went for extra bases. Four were in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Victor Caratini, elevated to the third lineup spot, had three hits and three RBIs. Taylor Trammell, playing center field with Jake Meyers out, matched both totals. Jose Altuve and Christian Walker, two veterans needed now more than ever, combined to score four runs.

Four relievers combined for five scoreless innings, a day after Houston asked its bullpen to cover 7 2/3 innings in an 11-inning defeat. The Astros have never been swept in Seattle in the team’s history. Their continuing that streak kept the Mariners from creeping closer.

Houston trailed 3-0 after four innings. Starter Hunter Brown lasted just four frames, throwing 89 pitches. Kaleb Ort, the lone reliever who did not pitch Saturday, replaced Brown and recorded five outs while his offense stirred against Mariners starter Bryan Woo.

Cam Smith’s two-run double capped a three-run fifth, tying the game. Christian Walker sent Woo’s first pitch of the sixth 400 feet to left field, giving Houston its first lead. Two batters later, Taylor Trammell drove a 1-2 sinker into the right-field seats. Woo had surrendered one home run on his sinker all season before Sunday.

A key play came in the next half-inning. Miles Mastrobuoni’s two-out single chased Ort. J.P. Crawford met Bryan King with a line drive that glanced off the glove of left fielder Cooper Hummel. Trammell retrieved it and found his cut-off man. Mauricio Dubón relayed a throw he could hardly have placed better. Yainer Diaz caught it and tagged Mastrobuoni in one motion.

Mastrobuoni was called safe. The Astros challenged. A lengthy review overturned the ruling, ending the inning. It preserved a two-run lead Houston padded in the seventh. Victor Caratini struck an RBI single. After a Diaz sacrifice fly, Trammell, the former Mariner filling in for the Astros in center field, sent a two-run double over counterpart Julio Rodríguez’s head.

Woo threw just 51 pitches in his first four innings. No Astro reached second base in them. A lucky break keyed their three-run fifth.

With men on first and third and one out, Shay Whitcomb lifted a flare to shallow left field. Crawford, the shortstop, ranged back and reached up. The ball clanked off his glove. Trammell sprinted home. Crawford’s throw went there, late, allowing Hummel, who had broken back toward first base, to reach second safely. Crawford was charged with an error.

Smith, hitting leadoff in Houston’s injury-thinned lineup, drove a 1-2 slider from Woo over the head of right fielder Dominic Canzone. Hummel rounded third with Whitcomb on his heels. The Mariners’ relay arrived at home plate after Hummel but ahead of Whitcomb. Whitcomb eluded catcher Mitch Garver’s tag and slapped the plate with the tying run.

Four innings marked Brown’s shortest start of the season. He needed 89 pitches to complete them. He allowed six hits, walked two batters and struck out seven. Brown has allowed 13 earned runs across his last three starts. He allowed 21 total in his first 17 outings this season.

Brown’s velocity was up early Sunday. He struck out five of his first eight batters faced. The Mariners did not make much sharp contact against him, but his final two innings were laborious.

Brown sat at 34 pitches after two innings. He threw 30 in the third. Two ground ball singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Brown induced a shallow fly ball from Randy Arozarena and built a 2-2 count on Jorge Polanco. Polanco lined a 97.7 mph fastball for a two-run single.

Luke Raley struck out to end the inning. Three Astros hitters then saw five pitches in the fourth to send Brown right back to the mound. A hit batsman and a walk created traffic and Julio Rodríguez bounced a sinker back up the middle for an RBI single, giving Seattle a 3-0 lead.

Brown retired Cal Raleigh on a flyout to end his outing. Seattle hitters swung at 44 of 89 pitches Brown threw, fouled off 20 and whiffed at 13. Eleven balls put into play against him averaged an 86.3 mph exit velocity. Brown emerged with a 2.57 ERA.

After a fractured rib sidelined Jeremy Peña, the Astros plugged Isaac Paredes into the leadoff spot in the lineup. Paredes started 16 games there before injuring his right calf Saturday. Smith moved up to the top of the lineup Sunday.

“I like the quality of at-bats,” manager Joe Espada said of elevating Smith. “He had some good at-bats against Woo at home. Trying to stretch our lineup a little more. I think he’s someone that can get on base, he’s got some speed. Trying to get some guys on base for the middle of our lineup.”