Gattis pounds Mariners with pair of homers
Peacock struts his stuff on the mound for seven innings to give Astros the win
The Houston Astros will have to make some decisions about their rotation soon with ace Dallas Keuchel nearing a return from the disabled list.
But the way Brad Peacock has been pitching lately, he’s going to make those decisions much more difficult.
Evan Gattis homered twice to back up a solid start by Peacock and help the Astros to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.
Peacock (8-1) allowed three hits and one run while fanning nine in seven innings to tie the longest start of his career and earn his fifth straight win. Afterward, manager A.J. Hinch was asked where Peacock fit in when Keuchel returns.
“Competition is a good thing ... there’s a conversation as to where to best utilize our weapons,” Hinch said. “Whether it’s in the rotation or in the bullpen, he’s been effective in both.”
Peacock isn’t too concerned about what role he’ll play when Keuchel is healthy.
Seattle manager Scott Servais said of Peacock: “He was ahead in the count, he was at the bottom of the strike zone, he was on the edges.”
Gattis hit solo shots in the second and sixth innings off Sam Gaviglio (3-5) for the eighth multihomer game of his career. Luke Gregerson got the last four outs for his first save.
Jose Altuve had three hits and drove in a run for the AL Westleading Astros, and Marwin Gonzalez added a hit in his first game at shortstop since All-Star Carlos Correa was placed on the disabled list with a torn thumb ligament on Tuesday.
Gaviglio allowed eight hits and five runs in six innings after being recalled from triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.
Houston took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Yuli Gurriel in the first inning.
Leading by two after Gattis’ first homer, Gonzalez singled to start Houston’s fourth and advanced to second on an error by Gaviglio with one out. A double by Nori Aoki came next to score Gonzalez, and a two-out RBI double by George Springer extended the lead to 4-0.
Peacock retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before Kyle Seager led off the fifth with his 200th career double. He advanced to third on a groundout by Danny Valencia and the Mariners cut the lead to 4-1 on an RBI single by Jarrod Dyson.
Gattis extended Houston’s advantage to 5-1 with his full-count shot to left field with two outs in the sixth inning. Houston added a run on an RBI single by Altuve with one out in the seventh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: OF Mitch Haniger was out for the third straight game after injuring his right index finger on Saturday night. But manager Scott Servais said he would likely play today.
Astros: Correa is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of his thumb injury that will require surgery. The Astros put Correa on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday, a day after he hurt himself taking a swing against Seattle. They expect to have him back in the lineup for the stretch run in September . ... RHP Collin McHugh (elbow) will come off the disabled list to make his first start of the season on Saturday against Baltimore. RHP Joe Musgrove will move to the bullpen to make room for McHugh in the rotation . ... Ace Dallas Keuchel (pinched nerve in neck) felt good a day after his first rehabilitation start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Monday night. Hinch said Keuchel will throw in the bullpen today before they decide what the next step will be.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Ladner’s James Paxton (8-3, 3.19 ERA) will start the series finale for Seattle today. Paxton allowed five hits and two runs in six innings of a win over the Chicago White Sox in his last start.
Astros: Charlie Morton (7-3, 4.06) is scheduled to start on today for Houston.
Morton won in his last start by yielding three hits and five runs in five innings against the Minnesota Twins.