Mariners make late surge again but fall short, lose to Astros 8-6

Jul 27, 2021, 11:09 PM | Updated: 11:42 pm

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. Toro was traded to the Mariners from the Astros ahead of tonight's game. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros celebrates with teammates after hitting a three run home run in the first inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Ryan Weber #53 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the ninth inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Hector Santiago #57 of the Seattle Mariners tags out Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros running home on a ground ball fielder's choice in the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Chris Flexen #77 of the Seattle Mariners checks the first-base runner in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Chris Flexen #77 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Myles Straw #3 of the Houston Astros scores on a single by Martin Maldonado in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros gestures in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros bats in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners bats in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros makes a throw to first base during the third inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch during the third inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Chris Flexen #77 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the second inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Shed Long Jr. #4 of the Seattle Mariners waits for a pitch during the second inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Houston Astros hits a single in the first inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros hits a single in the first inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a three run home run in the first inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with teammates after hitting a two run home run in the first inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 27: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners hits a two run home run in the first inning of the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 27, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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.

Astros 8, Mariners 6: Box Score

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.

They later got starter Tyler Anderson from Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers.

M’s trade Graveman, Montero to Astros | M’s get Anderson from Pirates

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.

Abraham Toro:

First AB as a Mariner ✅
First HR as a Mariner ✅ pic.twitter.com/6e29x3gBOF

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 28, 2021

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.

Seags puts us on the board! pic.twitter.com/ltlfoluTdD

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 28, 2021

Jarred Kelenic had a two-run single in the sixth that got the Mariners within 8-4.

Jarred brings home a pair 👏 pic.twitter.com/vRtQq4m9XW

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 28, 2021

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.