Gordon exits early with strained left quad

SEATTLE -- Mariners second baseman Dee Strange-Gordon was removed from Saturday’s 6-5 loss to the Astros during the fourth inning due to a strained left quad muscle, Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

Gordon injured the leg going from first to third on a double by Mallex Smith in the top of the third. He was taken out of the game shortly after failing to cover second base on what would have been an inning-ending grounder by Josh Reddick in the bottom of that inning.

Shortstop J.P Crawford fielded the ball in the hole at shortstop, but he didn’t have anybody to throw to at second for the force when Gordon didn’t move to the bag.

Asked if Gordon’s injury contributed to that play, Servais said: “Probably so.”

Starter Yusei Kikuchi made the issue moot by striking out Jake Marisnick for the third out.

Kikuchi wasn’t as fortunate in the second inning when the normally sure-handed Gordon allowed a potential inning-ending double play grounder by Reddick to go under his glove, opening the door for a five-run outburst by the Astros.

Gordon singled and scored in the third inning in his lone at-bat and is hitting .268/.298/.359 with 14 stolen bases in 62 games, having missed three weeks with a bruised left wrist before returning in mid-June.