Mariners Game Recap: Robinson Cano Powers Mariners to Extra Innings win

It took extra innings, but the Mariners bested the Astros on Saturday night in Houston.

The Seattle Mariners (18-12) beat the Houston Astros (11-20) on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park. Closer Steve Cishek (1.13, ERA) was the winning pitcher for the Mariners. Tony Sipp (0-2, ERA 5.06) took the loss for the Astros.

The Mariners started the scoring in the second inning with a Kyle Seager home run to right field. His seventh of the year, he also hit a triple later in the 8th inning. An inning later, the hottest hitter in the league right now, Robinson Cano, barreled a home run to deep right field. The solo homer represented Cano’s 15th RBI against Houston this year.

Nate Karns started the game for the Mariners. He pitched five scoreless innings before giving up his first run in the sixth. Karns was dialed in for the large majority of the game. Out of the first nine batters he faced, seven of them saw first pitch strikes. The first run he gave up was credited to a Colby Rasmus double that scored Marwin Gonzalez. Karns was pulled in the 7th inning.

Nick Vincent came in with 1-out in the 7th and two men on base. He induced two groundouts to end the inning. Vincent struck out the first batter in the 8th inning before handing the ball over to Vidal Nuno. The 28-year-old lefty got one out before being replaced by Joel Peralta. The veteran right-hander recorded the last out of the 8th on a pop up by Carlos Gomez.

In his first start against Seattle on April 26th, Houston starter Dallas Keuchel gave up five runs in six innings. That was his third loss of the year. Barely a few months removed from earning the AL Cy Young award, Keuchel has struggled to return to his dominant form of last season. Tonight’s start saw him give up a pair of solo home runs, but for the most part he pitched well. Keuchel pitched seven innings, giving up eight scattered hits, two earned runs and eight strikeouts. He left the game with the Astros trailing 2-1.

More from Mariners News

• 2023 Steamer Projections: Teoscar Hernandez could see a drop in Seattle
• Steamer Projections: Julio Rodriguez to enter rarified air in 2023
• What if the Mariners traded FOR Tyler O’Neill this time?
• Mariners starting pitching is being overlooked by MLB
• Baking the Cake: An Adjusted Mariners Offseason Plan

The later innings is where it gets a little more interesting. With the Mariners still leading 2-1 into the 9th inning, Scott Servais brings in closer Steve Cishek. At this point Cishek had been absolutely lights out, going 8/8 in save opportunities. Cishek gives up a lead off home run to Luis Valbuena to tie the game. That is all the damage done that inning, but the home run was enough to send the game into extra innings.

It’s the Mariners turn in the top of the 10th, and before Ketel Marte gets to the plate, Carlos Gomez is ejected by first base umpire Jeff Nelson. I can’t say for sure, but I believe Gomez was arguing about home plate umpire Ben May’s strike zone. Earlier in the 8th inning, Astros manager A.J. Hinch was thrown out for a similar argument. The Mariners had plenty of reason to get mad over the strike zone in this game too (Chris Iannetta being called out on strikes to end the 8th), but we remained calm and collected.

Once the game gets going again, Ketel Marte struck out swinging and Robinson Cano made this way to the batter’s box. As you remember, Cano hit a solo home run in the third. Cano wanted one more and hit a no doubter home run to left field to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead.

More from SoDo Mojo

• 2023 Steamer Projections: Teoscar Hernandez could see a drop in Seattle
• Could the Mariners Acquire AL Batting Champion, Luis Arraez?
• Steamer Projections: Julio Rodriguez to enter rarified air in 2023
• What if the Mariners traded FOR Tyler O’Neill this time?
• Mariners starting pitching is being overlooked by MLB

Everything after that point was routine. Astros pitcher Tony Sipp got out the rest of the inning, and Steve Cishek pitched a scoreless 10th inning to secure the win for the Mariners.

Robinson Cano now has driven in 16 of his 32 RBI this season against Houston. He went 4/5 on the night with two home runs and two RBI, raising his batting average to .306. This is what a healthy Robinson Cano is folks, and it is a beautiful sight to behold.

Next: Nate Karns gets the Ball for Seattle on Saturday

Today’s win secures at least a series spilt for the four game weekend series against the Astros. Tomorrow morning, Hisashi Iwakuma (1-3, 4.03 ERA) will try to secure the win for the Mariners at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Opposite Kuma will be Collin McHugh (3-3, 6.59 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 11:10 AM PT. Root Sports Northwest will televise the game locally, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch worldwide on connected devices.