HOUSTON (AP) _ Rookie Shawn O’Malley had three hits, including a tiebreaking RBI single in a two-run eighth inning, and Logan Morrison padded the lead with a three-run shot in the ninth to help the Seattle Mariners to an 8-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.
It was the 2015 debut for O’Malley, who appeared in 11 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season, but spent all year in Triple-A before being called up Tuesday. He also had a run-scoring single in the second.
The Mariners had runners at second and third with no outs in the eighth inning after an error by Pat Neshek (3-5). The miscue came when he fielded a sacrifice bunt by Jesus Sucre but his throw sailed over the head of 5-foot-5 Jose Altuve, who was covering first base.
O’Malley’s line drive to right field scored Logan Morrison to put Seattle on top 4-3.
SAN DIEGO (AP) _ Mitch Moreland doubled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to give the surging Texas Rangers a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.
Moreland’s line drive down the right-field line off Bud Norris (1-1) scored Elvis Andrus, who had reached on a one-out single.
The Rangers cut first-place Houston’s lead in the AL West to two games. The Astros lost 8-3 to Seattle.
Texas, which has won nine of 12 games, retained its one-game lead over Minnesota for the second AL wild-card berth.
Sam Dyson (2-1) pitched two innings as the Rangers (70-62) went a season-high eight games over .500.
San Diego’s Craig Kimbrel escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth by striking out pinch-hitter Mike Napoli and Adrian Beltre.