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Astros rough up Saunders, Mariners

Sep 11, 2013 - 5:45 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - L.J. Hoes, Jose Altuve and Brandon Laird each registered three RBI to back a solid start from Jordan Lyles, as the Houston Astros pounded the Seattle Mariners, 13-2, on Tuesday in the middle test of a three-game set at Safeco Field.

Chris Carter went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Jonathan Villar smacked a solo homer and scored three times for the Astros, who have taken two straight from Seattle to secure their first series victory since taking two-of-three against Toronto from Aug. 23-25.

Lyles (7-7) held the Mariners to two runs -- one earned -- on four hits and two walks while striking out five over six frames to earn the win.

Franklin Gutierrez registered two of Seattle's five hits and knocked in both runs for the Mariners, who have lost three straight.

Joe Saunders (11-14) had a forgettable outing, giving up six runs on seven hits in just three innings of work to absorb the loss.

Villar scorched Saunders' first offering of the game over the left-field fence to make it 1-0 before Hoes followed Carter's one-out double in the second with a run-scoring single to center for a 2-0 lead.

Raul Ibanez led off the home half with a double and scored when Gutierrez followed with a base hit to center, but the Astros pushed four runs across in the third to extend their advantage.

Villar opened the frame with a walk and stole second, then third, before scoring on Altuve's double down the third-base line.

Altuve swiped third and after Trevor Crowe and Laird fanned in succession, Matt Dominguez came through with a single to right to score Altuve for a 4-1 lead.

Carter and Hoes then clubbed back-to-back doubles, with Hoes plating a pair of runs to push the margin to 6-1.

Gutierrez ripped an RBI single in the sixth to cut into the deficit, but Laird launched a two-out, two-run blast in the seventh to make it 8-2 Houston.

Dominguez and Carter worked consecutive bases-loaded walks in the eighth to extend the lead before Altuve laced a two-run double to right in the ninth and scored on Laird's ground-rule double to left to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Lyles improved to 1-2 in four career starts against the Mariners ... Seattle finished 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base ... Villar recorded two stolen bases to give him 16 on the season, while Altuve swiped three bags to move his season total to a career-high 35 ... During the game, Seattle announced that the team traded shortstop Brendan Ryan to the New York Yankees in exchange for a player to be named later.