Pro Sports

Toro HR hours after trading sides, but Astros beat Mariners

Posted July 28, 2021 7:00 am

By CHRIS TALBOTT

Seattle Mariners' Abraham Toro rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. Toro was traded to the Mariners from the Astros earlier in the day. The Astros won 8-6. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) - Abraham Toro homered for Seattle against the team that traded him across the diamond during batting practice, but the Houston Astros held off a ninth-inning rally to beat the Mariners 8-6 Tuesday night.

The playoff-contending Mariners made two trades during the day. They sent relievers Kendall Graveman and Rafael Montero to AL West-leading Houston for Toro and reliever Joe Smith, and later got starter Tyler Anderson from Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers.

Toro was taking his pregame swings for Houston when he learned about the deal. The infielder walked to the other dugout, put on his new uniform and went back to the batting cage.

Toro had a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the ninth off Astros closer Ryan Pressly. His seventh homer drew the Mariners within two runs and they put two on with one out before Pressly escaped.

Seattle had won four in a row, including an 11-8 victory over the Astros on Monday night when it rallied from a 7-0 deficit.

Smith threw one hitless inning for the Mariners. Graveman and Montero didn't pitch.

Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run homer, his 19th, for Houston. He had three hits and scored twice.

Miles Straw added a two-run double in a four-run fourth that featured four consecutive hits against Chris Flexen (9-5), including three doubles.

Lance McCullers (8-2) gave up four runs in six innings, striking out eight. He allowed more than three runs for just the second time this season in 17 starts.

Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer in the first for Seattle. Jarred Kelenic had a two-run single in the sixth that got the Mariners within 8-4.

Jose Altuve had three hits for the Astros and Aledmys Diaz and Martin Maldonado each drove in a run.

HE'S BACK

Mariners lefty Hector Santiago returned from his 10-game suspension as the first player penalized under Major League Baseball's foreign substance crackdown. He gave up one earned run on four hits over two innings.

ROSTER MOVE

Seattle optioned RHP Darren McCaughan to Triple-A Tacoma and designated RHP Vinny Nittoli for assignment.

UP NEXT

Astros: LHP Jake Odorizzi (3-5, 4.23) looks to stop a two-game slide in the series finale.

Mariners: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-5, 3.95) has won three of his last four starts.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. throws to a Seattle Mariners batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Seattle Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago has his cap checked for foreign substances by an umpire after the top of the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. It was the first game back for Santiago after he served a 10-game suspension for violating MLB's rules for foreign substances that could aid in pitching. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Houston Astros' Aledmys Diaz, left, and Carlos Correa head to the dugout after scoring on a double by Myles Straw during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Seattle Mariners' Abraham Toro hits a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. Toro was traded to the Mariners from the Astros earlier in the day. The Astros won 8-6. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Seattle Mariners shortstop Dylan Moore, center, catches a popup hit by Houston Astros' Carlos Correa during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Seattle Mariners pitcher Joe Smith throws to a Houston Astros batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. Smith was traded to the Mariners from the Astros earlier in the day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., left, walks in the dugout after finishing the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The Associated Press

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