Polanco's two-run single gives Mariners 4-3 win

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 07: Jorge Polanco #7 of the Seattle Mariners hits a two-run RBI single against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park on April 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

SEATTLE - Jorge Polanco delivered a go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 4-3 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

After losing the lead in the top of the eighth inning due to a fielding error from Dylan Moore, the Mariners responded against relievers Tayler Scott and Bryan Abreu. Moore and Miles Mastroubuoni each walked to lead-off the bottom half of the inning as Seattle tried to respond. A sacrifice bunt from J.P. Crawford advanced the runners.

Julio Rodríguez struck out to set the stage for Polanco, who came through with a grounder back over second base into center field that scored Moore and Mastrobuoni for a 4-3 lead.

"I was looking for fastball. Fastball middle away," Polanco said. "Just without with the off(-speed) pitch. I know he likes to throw a lot of off-speed, but like you say, he throw a really good fastball. So I was looking for the fastball.

"Just ready for the fastball, and with a breaking ball, if I can hit it, the timing is good."

Andrés Muñoz pitched a clean ninth inning with the help of a terrific defensive play by Crawford for his fourth save of the season for Seattle. Muñoz has picked up a save in each of the Mariners' four wins this season.

Logan Gilbert was purely exceptional for Seattle, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Jose Altuve clubbed a solo home run for the only damage of the outing. Gilbert finished with two walks and seven strikeouts before leaving with two outs in the sixth.

"I thought his splitter was outstanding tonight,"Wilson said. "Really, all the secondaries were very good, very sharp, but that splitter was outstanding. Just an awesome outing when we really needed one."

Gilbert said he had a desire to deliver a strong performance given the three-game sweep at the hands of the San Francisco Giants over the weekend.

"It seemed like we really needed one," Gilbert said. "Just tried to give us a good chance out there. Any time it's going to Houston, you know, it's pretty competitive, and means a lot. So feel like we've been playing well, but kind of on the wrong side of things. So we definitely needed this."

Before the home run in the sixth, Gilbert had a 10-pitch battle with Altuve that eventually ended with a pop out to shortstop. Gilbert said he relished opportunities to compete with a player of Altuve's caliber like that.

"I felt like I made some good pitches and he fouled two good splitters, fouled a fastball or curve ball or whatever it was," Gilbert said. "And then after that one, I was thinking like 'man, this is pretty fun right now.' Baseball at the highest level, so execute a pitch and try to find a way out of it."

Ryan Bliss delivered a two-run homer off Houston starter Hayden Wesneski in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave Seattle the first lead of the night. Bliss turned on a fastball and drove it into the bullpen in left for his first home run of the year.

"I think we've been really close with everything, and just put a good swing on it. And good thing to happen," Bliss said.

Trent Thornton backed Gilbert with a dominant four outs before the game unraveled in the eighth inning. Gregory Santos allowed a lead-off single to Jake Meyers as Houston started to rally. Mauricio Dubón bunted Meyers over to second and a wild pitch from Santos moved him to third base. Altuve then walked and stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position.

It seemed like Seattle was going to escape the jam as Julio Rodríguez made a key running catch on a Isaac Paredes liner and delivered a strong throw to home plate to keep Meyers at third base. After an intentional walk of Yordan Álvarez loaded the bases, Santos got Christian Walker to ground to third base only to have Dylan Moore – a Gold Glove winner as a utility player last season – miss on the ball as two runs scored to give Houston a 3-2 lead.

"Santos made a good pitch, got the ground ball. And, you know, that's all you can ask in that situation," Wilson said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get the out, but (he) put the ball on the ground like he was wanting to and did a nice job for us."

Wesneski was also strong for Houston, allowing two runs on three hits with no walks and five strikeouts over seven innings for the Astros.

"I think we just feel like, if we continue to do the things that we do as a team, that things will go our way and tonight was certainly one of those nights," Wilson said.

The Source: Original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.