Astros 3 - 5 Mariners
Final
  for this game

Astros eye sweep of Mariners

Apr 23, 2014 - 2:36 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Houston righty Jarred Cosart hopes to put the worst loss of his young career behind him on Wednesday when the Houston Astros try to complete a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Cosart lasted just a third of an inning in Oakland on Friday, but was hit hard for seven runs on three hits and four walks to fall to 1-2, while nearly doubling his ERA to 7:36.

"My arm felt good and body felt good, and I got out there on the mound and after the first pitch the ball was slipping and all over the place," he said. "Everything else is pretty self-explanatory. I walked a lot of guys and got behind and had to come back into the zone and they hit them."

It was the shortest by an Astros pitcher since Philip Humber worked one-third of an inning on April 20, 2013 against the Indians.

"It's not something that we want to relive," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "It makes it tough on your bullpen when the starter doesn't make it out of the first inning."

Houston managed to secure a series win on Tuesday, as Collin McHugh picked up his first big-league win and the Astros belted three home runs in a 5-2 victory.

McHugh (1-0) was making his first start of the season in place of the injured Scott Feldman and dazzled into the seventh inning. The 26-year-old righty struck out 12 with no walks and only allowed three hits in his stellar outing.

Chris Carter and Jason Castro both homered and drove in two runs while Matt Dominguez added a solo blast for Houston, which has won the first two meetings of this three-game series on the heels of a seven-game skid.

"It's a huge lift," Houston manager Bo Porter said of McHugh. "Obviously losing Scott (Feldman) was a big blow to our ball club, but again he took advantage of an opportunity and obviously we needed it."

Erasmo Ramirez (1-3) was charged with three runs on three hits and three walks while fanning eight over six frames as Seattle suffered an eighth straight loss.

Seattle, meanwhile, will hand the ball tonight to right-handed veteran Chris Young, who has yet to record a decision in four appearances (2 starts). Young was hit hard on Friday in Miami, though, as the Marlins reached him for four runs and seven hits in just three innings of the Mariners' 8-4 loss.

"I didn't do my part tonight," said Young, who threw 73 pitches. "Bullpen did a great job, the hitters kept fighting and had quality at-bats to try and pick me up. I wish that I could've given a better effort and helped this team win the game. "

Young has never lost to the Astros, going 3-0 against them with a 3.06 ERA in three starts.

Seattle was 10-9 against the Astros a year ago.






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