SEATTLE (AP) — Zack Greinke pitched eight sharp innings, rookie Taylor Jones drove in the only run and the depleted Houston Astros ended a six-game losing streak, edging the Seattle Mariners 1-0 Saturday night.
Greinke allowed four hits and walked none. He struck out six, two of them on 67 mph curveballs.
Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth for his first save.
Jones, from nearby Kent, Washington, hit an RBI single with two outs in the fourth. He’s been pressed into service after five Astros – including starters José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Álvarez – were moved to the injured list due to COVID-19 protocols on Wednesday.
Greinke, a six-time Gold Glove, made a brilliant defensive play in the fifth when he gathered in J.P. Crawford’s hard grounder, freezing two runners on base, then threw to third to start a double play.
Greinke finished the game with 2,705 career strikeouts. His teammate, Justin Verlander (18th at 3,013), and the Washington Nationals’ Max Scherzer (22nd at 2,808) are the only active players ahead of him on the career list.
Chris Flexen (1-1) picked up the loss as Houston snapped Seattle’s three-game winning streak. He allowed 10 hits through six innings, striking out three with no walks.
COVID-19 UPDATES
Astros: Manager Dusty Baker said starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. might not make his scheduled start April 21 at Colorado due to the lingering effects of his COVID-19 vaccine.
“He’s feeling better, but he’s still not 100 percent,” Baker said. “If you’re not 100 percent and having trouble breathing, Colorado is not the place to get your breath back.”
Baker had no new update on the five players who were put on the injured list due to COVID-19 protocols, but did say he now does not expect them to play through the end of…
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