Logan Gilbert throws 8 dominant innings in Mariners’ 5-0 victory over Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Logan Gilbert threw eight dominant innings, Luis Urías and Cal Raleigh homered and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Saturday night.

Gilbert (3-0) allowed two hits and four walks and struck out six. He has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his seven starts.

“It’s nice and helps me catch my breath,” Gilbert said about the run support. “It gives me a lot of confidence to fill it up. It gives me freedom to do what I want to do and trying to just keep the momentum that they already built.”

The right-hander retired 16 of 17 at one point. He was also aided by three double plays.

“He was super aggressive,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He was in the strike zone. That’s a good fastball hitting team, and you know you’re going to have to mix in your secondary pitches, but you got to get them over the plate. You got to land them. I thought his slider, curveball, splitter at times tonight, just outstanding command of those pitches in the zone when they need to be and out of the zone to get some chase.”

Servais said it “was probably the most complete game we’ve played all year.”

“What Logan did was fantastic,” Servais said. “Logan is on a roll. It’s as good as we’ve seen him at any point. He continues to make adjustments throughout the course of the game. He and Cal did a great job against that lineup tonight.”

Urías hit a solo home run to center to lead off the fifth, and Raleigh added a two-run shot to left center in the sixth. Mitch Garver had an RBI double in the fourth, and Ty France scored on Raleigh’s double-play groundout in the second.

Astros starter Framber Valdez (1-1) allowed five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He had allowed three runs or fewer in each of his previous three starts.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “He got some ground balls. His stuff looked really good. I think he made his pitches when he needed to. I think the story was we couldn’t get much going offensively.”

Yordan Alvarez had two infield singles, and Jeremy Peña singled for Houston’s only hits.

Trainer’s room

Astros: RHP Cristian Javier (neck discomfort) allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings Saturday, throwing 68 pitches in a rehabilitation start with Double-A Corpus Christi. RHP Lance McCullers (right elbow surgery) threw off the top of the mound Saturday, Espada said. RHP José Urquidy (right forearm strain) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Sunday. OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring) ran Saturday, Espada said, adding that hopefully he will run more Sunday before taking batting practice and heading out on a rehab assignment “soon.”

Up next

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (0-4, 9.78 ERA) was set to face Seattle RHP Bryce Miller (3-2, 2.04 ERA) on Sunday in the finale of the three-game series.