Sounders beat Houston 3-2 for their fourth straight win

Herald news services

HOUSTON — Nicolas Lodeiro had a different kind of hat trick for the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.

Lodeiro produced the first three-assist game of his career — giving him a Seattle career record of 35 in the regular season — as he led the Sounders to a 3-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer action.

The win was the fourth straight for Seattle, which clinched a playoff spot Wednesday with a victory over Orlando City. Seattle has outscored its opponents 13-4 during the winning streak.

Lodeiro’s corner kicks set up header goals for Chad Marshall, in the 30th minute, and Gustav Svensson early in the second half. Marshall’s goal was his fourth of the season. Svensson, who missed Seattle’s last game while on international duty with Sweden, collected his third of the season.

Marshall’s goal came in his 400th MLS appearance. He’s just the second player in league history to reach that milestone.

Kevin Garcia collected his first career goal for Houston with a header off a corner kick from Oscar Boniek Garcia in the 63rd minute.

Seattle’s Raul Ruidiaz picked up the game-winner — his eighth goal in just 13th appearances — when his shot went under Tyler Deric in the 87th minute. Lodeiro fed the ball ahead to Ruidiaz for Lodeiro’s 15th assist of the season, tying him him for third in the league.

Houston ensured a tight finish when a shot from Romell Quioto in the 89th minute skimmed off the head of Mauro Mantoas for Quioto’s 17th goal of the season, but the Dynamo could not get the equalizer.

The Sounders improved to 17-11-5 (56 points). They close out the regular season Sunday against San Jose. The kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at CenturyLink Field.