Astros in awe of pair of catches by rookie outfielders

SEATTLE -- Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez couldn’t help but smile. Astros right fielder Trey Cabbage had just reached over the wall at T-Mobile Park to rob him of a home run in the eighth inning Saturday night and flashed a low-key version of the “no-fly zone” gesture that is Rodríguez’s trademark.

“He got me at home [earlier this year] so I had to give a subtle one back to him,” Cabbage said. “That was fun.”

The fun was only starting for the Astros, who got another tremendous catch in the outfield to end the inning from a diving Joey Loperfido in left to protect the lead and help the Astros beat the Mariners, 4-2. Houston moved into sole possession of first place in the American League West by improving to a Major League-best 27-13 since June 1.

“Not taking anything away from our pitching -- [starter Framber] Valdez and the back end of our bullpen did an outstanding job and were lights out -- but I thought the difference in tonight’s game was our defense,” Astros manager Joe Espada said.

Indeed. There were clutch late-inning home runs by Jake Meyers and Yainer Diaz and airtight relief pitching from Tayler Scott, Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader (20th save), but rookies Cabbage and Loperfido stole the show with their gloves.

“Unreal,” Cabbage said. “Two catches in the same inning like that? It fired us up. I lost my voice that inning coming in yelling.”

Meyers’ two-run homer in the seventh inning off former teammate Ryne Stanek put the Astros ahead, 3-2, and Diaz added a solo homer in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Rodríguez -- who hit a two-run homer in the sixth -- came to the plate with one out and sent a rocket to right field.

Cabbage, playing in place of injured starting right fielder Kyle Tucker, timed his jump at the wall perfectly and reached over the fence for a stunning catch. He crossed his arms to make an “X” when he landed on the ground, earning a smile of respect from Rodríguez as he rounded first base.

"That’s what it’s all about,” Rodríguez said. “You have two teams clashing out there. I feel like that’s what’s fun about the game. We’re all competing for everything, two teams chasing first place. Game respects game. I respect them, they respect us and I think it was pretty cool when he threw the X up."

Pressly, who was working the eighth, thought he had jammed Rodríguez and then watched the ball just keep sailing toward the fence.

“He’s a super strong guy and any time you can elevate a ball like that, it’s got a chance,” Pressly said. “I was kind of surprised how far it went. Like I said, he’s a strong dude and he’s got great bat-to-ball skills and you try to keep him in the ballpark as best you can, and thankfully Trey went up there and grabbed it and kept it in the no-fly zone.”

Pressly walked Cal Raleigh with outs, bringing Mitch Garver to the plate as the tying run. He stroked a line drive towar the left field line that was run down on the warning track by a diving Loperfido, who covered 77 feet in 4.7 seconds and made a spectacular catch.

“He kind of hooked it,” Loperfido said. “I thought off the bat it would stay a little bit more true, but it was kind of running. It was hooking a little bit further toward the line than I thought. I had a good beat on it, I felt like. I came up with it. It felt good.”

Meyers, who has made a couple of tremendous catches at the wall in center field this year, has set the tone for outfield play, Loperfido said. The players on each side of him were flashing the leather on Saturday.

“He’s kind of done it all year for us,” he said. “[Coaches] Gary [Pettis] and [Dave Clark] commented to us today about the hard work we’ve been working in the outfield, how well the defense has played out there. It starts with Jake. He’s fun to watch. He’s kind of like our field general out there. I think he sets the standard, and Trey, me, Chas [McCormick] and Tuck are great out there, too. We’re just trying to play to that standard.”