Stunner in Seattle: Mariners come back from 7 down, beat Astros 11-8

Jul 26, 2021, 11:42 PM | Updated: Jul 27, 2021, 12:37 am

Dylan Moore's grand slam capped a Mariners comeback from seven runs down in their 11-8 win over the Astros. (AP)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Dylan Moore #25 of the Seattle Mariners gestures after hitting a grand slam home run in the eighth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Dylan Moore #25 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam home run in the eighth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Dylan Moore #25 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam home run in the eighth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won 11-8. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners waits for a pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Luis Garcia #77 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Abraham Toro #13 of the Houston Astros gestures after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Houston Astros hits a three run home run during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Darren McCaughan #45 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Darren McCaughan #45 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Shed Long Jr. #4 of the Seattle Mariners reacts to a called strike in the third inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners reacts to a pop fly out in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with teammates after Cal Raleigh's three run scoring double in the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: (L-R) Luis Torrens #22, Ty France #23, J.P. Crawford #3, and Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate after Cal Raleigh's three run scoring double in the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners scores on Cal Raleigh's three run double in the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners scores on Cal Raleigh's three run double in the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners hits a three run double in the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros leaps over Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners, but misses the tag at second base in the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners makes a throw to first base for an out during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Martin Maldonado #15 of the Houston Astros shakes hands with Omar Lopez #22 after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Luis Torrens #22 of the Seattle Mariners waits for a pitch during the fourth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with teammates after hitting a three run home run in the fifth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Keynan Middleton #99 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch in the fifth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 26: Shed Long Jr. #4 of the Seattle Mariners catches a pop fly out to end the sixth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 26, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Dylan Moore hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to lift the Seattle Mariners to an 11-8 comeback win against the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Mariners 11, Astros 8: Box score

Houston scored six runs in the first and led 7-0 in the fourth before Seattle started to rally. The seven-run deficit is the most the Mariners have overcome this season, and the largest cushion the AL West-leading Astros have lost.

In the eighth, the Mariners loaded the bases with two outs down 8-7. Moore launched reliever Brooks Raley’s 1-1 pitch into the left field second deck for his fourth homer of the season to complete the comeback.

“It’s hard to describe. It boils down to the best baseball moment of my career so far,” Moore said.

The Rick Rizzs call you've been waiting for… #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/oYNUsWO3Xx

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2021

After giving up Moore’s slam, Raley hit J.P. Crawford in the back with a 3-1 pitch and was ejected. Crawford had three hits and scored twice.

Kendall Graveman (4-0) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Paul Sewald earned his fourth save with a perfect ninth.

“It’s tough when you get down like that, and certainly against a team that’s leading the division with one of the best records in baseball,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “You’re in a situation where we’re at in the standings fighting for something against the first-place team, so this one’s pretty darn special.”

Ryne Stanek (1-2) took the loss.

Six straight Houston batters scored in the opening inning against rookie Darren McCaughan, making his first career start. Martin Maldonado added a solo homer in the fourth.

The Mariners made it a game with a three-run double by Cal Raleigh in the fourth and a three-run homer from Kyle Seager in the fifth.

Cal clears 'em! pic.twitter.com/JQdCVuexT2

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2021

Wave that baseball goodbye 👋 pic.twitter.com/xRLAc4v0iQ

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2021

“This hurts a lot. We made some mistakes, we walked some hitters,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “We couldn’t put the horse back in the barn and we didn’t score anymore. We know their bullpen has been pitching great lately.”

Houston starter Luis Garcia allowed career highs of six runs, five earned. He gave up six hits and a walk while striking out nine.

The start for McCaughan came after he pitched five no-hit innings in his major league debut against the Rockies last Wednesday.

McCaughan got leadoff hitter Jose Altuve for his first career strikeout but gave up his first hit to the next batter when Michael Brantley’s comebacker deflected off his glove. The Astros just kept hitting, with six runs scoring before McCaughan got a second out. Kyle Tucker’s three-run homer was the biggest blow, followed by a solo shot from Abraham Toro.

McCaughan regrouped, pitching four innings and giving up seven runs overall. With the Mariners’ bullpen depleted after a tough previous series against the Athletics, getting a few extra innings after the rough start was crucial for Seattle.

“We don’t have anybody else available tonight. He had to go four innings for us in this game to have any chance,” Servais said. “Literally after the first inning and how it was going, you’re starting to think, do I need to throw a position player at the end of this thing? We were that short on the pitching side.”

Speechless in Seattle! pic.twitter.com/2bmzRtR2Sw

— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2021

TOSSED

Raley said it was the first time he’d ever been thrown out of a game.

“Major league, minor league, anywhere. There was no intention there. Ball got away from me,” he said.

After Crawford was hit, Servais appeared to be the most animated, yelling from the dugout steps.

“You can’t let pitches get away like that and hit somebody after you give up a grand slam,” Servais said. “Was it on purpose? I don’t know. It was a very emotional game and I’m glad he got ejected.”

READY TO RETURN

Seattle LHP Hector Santiago, the first player penalized under Major League Baseball’s foreign substance crackdown, has served his 10-game suspension and will be available to pitch Tuesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: INF Aledmys Diaz (broken left hand) was activated from the 10-day injured list and INF Robel Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land.

Mariners: OF Jake Fraley will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma this week after being on the COVID-19 injured list since July 18. Fraley took part in the pregame workout with the Mariners before Monday’s game, manager Scott Servais said. … LHP Justus Sheffield (left forearm strain) threw off a mound Sunday and is expected to throw a full bullpen Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (7-2, 3.04 ERA) has allowed three runs or fewer in 15 of his 16 starts this season.

Mariners: RHP Chris Flexen (9-4, 3.35) will make his 19th start of the season and 12th at home, where he is 6-2 with a 1.89 ERA. The Mariners are 13-5 when Flexen starts.