Astros manager Joe Espada has so much confidence in his players and his team’s winning process that he had no trouble sitting star second baseman Jose Altuve and hotshot rookie Cam Smith for rest on Wednesday,

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Rookie second baseman Brice Matthews, who swatted his first two career home runs and drove in five of Houston’s six runs in Monday’s win, rescued the Astros again Tuesday with a two-run homer in the e

Christian Walker hit a tiebreaking home run in the sixth inning and the Houston Astros went on to rout the host Seattle Mariners 11-3 Sunday afternoon.

Gallen allowed a one-out single to Taylor Trammell in the second inning, then walked Mauricio Dubón. He struck out Chas McCormick and started Matthews with a curveball for a called strike. Gallen came back with a 94.2 mph fastball up in the zone. Matthews drove it 397 feet over the left-center field wall, giving the Astros an early 3-1 lead.

Christian Walker hit a go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning as the Houston Astros rallied from an early three-run deficit and beat the Seattle Mariners 11-3 to avoid a series sweep.

Sunday wasn’t a must-win game for the Astros, but it was close. A three-game sweep at the hands of the Mariners would have seen their lead atop the American League West division dwindle to two games.