Logan Gilbert throws 8 dominant innings in Mariners' 5-0 victory over Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Logan Gilbert threw eight dominant innings, Luis Urías and Cal Raleigh homered and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Saturday night.

Gilbert (3-0) allowed two hits and four walks and struck out six. He has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his seven starts.

“It's nice and helps me catch my breath,” Gilbert said about the run support. “It gives me a lot of confidence to fill it up. It gives me freedom to do what I want to do and trying to just keep the momentum that they already built.”

The right-hander retired 16 of 17 at one point. He was also aided by three double plays.

“He was super aggressive,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He was in the strike zone. That’s a good fastball hitting team, and you know you’re going to have to mix in your secondary pitches, but you got to get them over the plate. You got to land them. I thought his slider, curveball, splitter at times tonight. Just outstanding command of those pitches in the zone when they need to be and out of the zone to get some chase.

Servais said it “was probably the most complete game we’ve played all year.”

“What Logan did was fantastic,” Servais said. “Logan is on a roll. It’s as good as we’ve seen him at any point. He continues to make adjustments throughout the course of the game. He and Cal did a great job against that lineup tonight.

Urías hit a solo home run to center to lead off the fifth, and Raleigh added a two-run shot to left center in the sixth. Mitch Garver had an RBI double in the fourth, and Ty France scored on Raleigh’s double-play groundout in the second.

Astros starter Framber Valdez (1-1) allowed five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He had allowed three runs or fewer in each of his previous three starts.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “He got some ground balls. His stuff looked really good. I think he made his pitches when he needed to. I think the story was we couldn’t get much going offensively.”

Yordan Alvarez had two infield singles, and Jeremy Peña singled for Houston’s only hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Cristian Javier (neck discomfort) allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings Saturday, throwing 68 pitches in a rehabilitation start with Double-A Corpus Christi. … RHP Lance McCullers (right elbow surgery) threw off the top of the mound Saturday, Espada said. … RHP José Urquidy (right forearm strain) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Sunday. … OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring) ran Saturday, Espada said, adding that hopefully he will run more Sunday before taking batting practice and heading out on a rehab assignment “soon.”

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Hunter Brown (0-4, 9.78 ERA) was set to face Seattle RHP Bryce Miller (3-2, 2.04 ERA) on Sunday in the finale of the three-game series.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Mitch Garver celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Houston Astros' Kyle Tucker, left, speaks to umpire Quinn Wolcott after being called out on strikes during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Mitch Garver hits an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners' Luis Urías celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh, right, is congratulated by Ty France, left, as Houston Astros catcher Victor Caratini, center, looks on after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco, right, turns a double play on Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz after forcing out Jeremy Peña (3) during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners shortstop Dylan Moore (25) celebrates with center fielder Julio Rodríguez, right, after a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners shortstop Dylan Moore, right, turns a double play on Houston Astros' Victor Caratini after forcing out Joey Loperfido (10) at second base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners' Luis Urías (16) is presented with a trident by Julio Rodríguez after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert fields an infield hit by Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert adjusts his cap during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astro,s Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)

LA VICTORIA, Venezuela (AP) — The presidential candidate of Venezuela’s chief opposition coalition on Saturday sought to cultivate a mood of hope and possibility in a massive rally that marked the start of a campaign he admittedly never imagined leading.

Edmundo González Urrutia, the former diplomat chosen by the coalition to replace the fiery leader María Corina Machado, invited thousands of supporters to gather in the community of La Victoria, his hometown. He urged them to imagine a country where public services are not a luxury, people are not imprisoned for their political beliefs and millions will return after having migrated throughout a decade in search of better economic opportunities.

“I guarantee a peaceful transition in which all political forces will be able to exercise their rights as allowed by the constitution," González said, addressing an audience of retirees, young adults and residents of the capital who traveled to see him and locals of the once-thriving industrial community.

He was joined on stage by Machado, whose candidacy for the July 28 election was barred by the government of President Nicolás Maduro. The crowd cheered for both. Street vendors sold T-shirts and baseball caps promoting the duo for $10. Venezuelan flags were also on sale.

González is the third candidate that the Unitary Platform opposition coalition has promoted as its own this year.

Machado, a former lawmaker, entered 2024 as the group’s candidate after easily winning an October presidential primary, but a top court loyal to Venezuela’s ruling party affirmed in January an administrative decision to ban her from office. She appointed a substitute in March — former academic Corina Yoris — but she, too, was barred from the ballot. Four days later, the coalition picked González.

La Victoria resident Maria Contreras, 75, arrived 4 1/2 hours early to the street where Saturday’s rally was expected to take place. She waved at some acquaintances as they slowly began to arrive, most on foot, to catch a glimpse of Machado and González, whose mother was Contreras’ fourth-grade teacher.

“We will achieve it! I have faith in God, and I ask him for this, on my knees, every day so that my grandchildren and children can return,” Contreras, a retired secretary, said. “I came here alone and on an empty stomach. It’s horrible what happened to this community.”

Contreras said she cleans homes in exchange for food. Her $3 a month pension does not allow her to even buy a kilogram of cheese or a 1-liter bottle of cooking oil.

González began his career as an aide to Venezuela’s ambassador in the U.S. in the late 1970s. He had postings in Belgium and El Salvador and served as Caracas’ ambassador to Algeria.

His last post was as ambassador to Argentina during the first years of the presidency of Hugo Chávez, who came to power in 1999. Chávez transformed Venezuela with socialist policies like nationalizing industries and launching welfare programs. Chávez handpicked Maduro to replace him before dying of cancer in 2013.

More recently, González worked as an international relations consultant and wrote a historical work on Venezuela during World War II.

President Maduro is seeking a third term in July. His presidency has been marked by a complex crisis that pushed millions of people into poverty and more than 7.7 million others to migrate.

Many of those gathered Thursday in La Victoria loudly rejected the president.

“I don’t want a bag!” some chanted referring to a bag of subsided food the government hands out to people. “What I want is for Nicolas to leave!”

Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia speaks during an event organized by the opposition political party "Encuentro Ciudadano", in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)