HOUSTON -- Christian Walker blasted a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday night off Andrés Muñoz to send the Astros to a dramatic 10-7 win over the Mariners, who had scored twice in the eighth to tie it and twice in the 10th to take the lead.
The homer came moments after Daulton Varsho tied the game with a two-out RBI single as the Astros scored five runs in the 10th.
The Astros, playing the first game of a nine-game homestand against three American League West teams with losing records, won for the third time in four games to push the Mariners six games out in the division. The second-place Rangers began the day two games behind Houston.
Houston won despite blowing a 5-2 lead, with the Mariners scoring once in the sixth against lefty Bennett Sousa and twice in the eighth against Bryan Abreu, who walked two batters and gave up two hits. Brock Rodden’s first career hit, a two-out double, tied the game, but the Astros got a break when the ball bounced into the stands, forcing Victor Robles to stop at third.
Astros starter Peter Lambert allowed two runs in the first before Yordan Alvarez’s homer to right field -- his first since July 28 -- cut the Seattle lead in half. It was the first homer Mariners starter George Kirby had allowed in his career in 70 innings against the Astros, including the postseason.
Houston chipped away at Kirby in the second inning, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring four times after two outs to take a 5-2 lead. Cam Smith had an RBI triple and scored on a Jeremy Peña single. Isaac Paredes drove in two runs with an infield single down the left field line, with Peña hustling home from second.