Odorizzi shuts down Mariners, Alvarez and Peña homer in 3-0 Astros win

HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit a solo homer and rookie Jeremy Peña added a two-run shot to back up another solid start from Jake Odorizzi and help the Houston Astros to a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Astros 3, Mariners 0: Box score

Ryne Stanek got the last out of the seventh after Odorizzi (2-2) left the game. Héctor Neris and Rafael Montero pitched a scoreless inning each to complete the shutout.

The victory snaps a two-game skid for the Astros and moves manager Dusty Baker within one win of becoming the 12th manager in MLB history to reach 2,000.

Alvarez opened Houston’s fourth with his seventh home run of the season to put the Astros up 1-0. There was one on and one out in the sixth when Peña connected off Marco Gonzales (1-3) on a soaring shot to left field to make it 3-0.

Polo! 🗣 pic.twitter.com/IL86oU2k28

— Houston Astros (@astros) May 3, 2022

Odorizzi allowed four hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings for his second straight win after dropping his first two decisions this season. The veteran allowed 16 hits and 12 runs combined in his first three starts but has allowed just five hits and one run in his last two.

Stanek took over for Odorizzi after he walked Suarez with two outs in the seventh, and he walked J.P. Crawford before striking out Julio Rodríguez. Montero gave up a single to Ty France with one out in the ninth before walking Jesse Winkler, but Eugenio Suarez grounded into a double play to end it and give Montero his second save.

Gonzales yielded a season-high eight hits with three runs in six innings after getting just one out before leaving his last start after taking a line drive off his throwing wrist.

With Angels on rise, M’s dealing with more than Astros in AL West

Houston star second baseman Jose Altuve went 0 for 3 with a walk in his return after sitting out since April 19 with a strained hamstring.

Crawford had a single in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, which is the longest active streak in the majors. The Mariners lost for the fifth time in six games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Closer Ryan Pressly, who has been out since April 14 with inflammation in his right knee, will begin a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday. Baker said they’re not sure if he’ll just play one game or if he’ll need multiple outings before being activated.

WHAT A MONTH

Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert was named the AL pitcher of the month for April after going 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA and 22 strikeouts in four starts. It’s the first time a Mariner has earned the honor since James Paxton in July 2017.

Gilbert’s 0.40 ERA set a record for the lowest ERA (minimum 20 innings pitched) in franchise history in a calendar month, outdoing Mark Langston who had a 0.50 ERA in Sept. 1988.

UP NEXT

Houston’s Cristian Javier (1-0, 1.35 ERA) opposes Chris Flexen (1-3, 3.38) when the series continues Tuesday night.

Julio Rodríguez talks first MLB homer, proving people wrong about his speed