HOUSTON -AP- Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 12-4 Wednesday to keep pressure on the other AL wild-card contenders.Kyle Seager added another three-run drive in the eighth, his 30th home run this season, as Seattle pulled within 1 1/2 games of Baltimore for the second AL wild card. 
Houston dropped three games back as its magic number for elimination was cut to two. The Orioles were at Toronto on Wednesday night.Cano's career-best 36th home run, a drive off Doug Fister (12-13), landed in the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field. Cano has nine homers and 25 RBI in 19 games against Houston this season.Seattle doubled its lead in the second on Nori Aoki's RBI single andSeth Smith's two-run single. Ketel Marte made it 7-0 with a run-scoring infield single in the third.James Paxton (6-7) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out eight.Fister gave up five runs and five hits over 1 1/3 innings in the shortest start of his big league career. Fister has lost five straight decisions, and Houston has lost his last seven starts -- all five innings or fewer.George Springer hit a solo home run in the third for the Astros, who closed to 7-4 in the sixth on Evan Gattis' solo homer.FAREWELLSWednesday's game was the final broadcast for the Astros' Bill Brown, who is retiring after 30 seasons with the team. It was also the last game for Tal's Hill in Minute Maid Park. The Astros renovate the ballpark this offseason, and the center-field fence will be moved in.
Houston dropped three games back as its magic number for elimination was cut to two. The Orioles were at Toronto on Wednesday night.Cano's career-best 36th home run, a drive off Doug Fister (12-13), landed in the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field. Cano has nine homers and 25 RBI in 19 games against Houston this season.Seattle doubled its lead in the second on Nori Aoki's RBI single andSeth Smith's two-run single. Ketel Marte made it 7-0 with a run-scoring infield single in the third.James Paxton (6-7) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out eight.Fister gave up five runs and five hits over 1 1/3 innings in the shortest start of his big league career. Fister has lost five straight decisions, and Houston has lost his last seven starts -- all five innings or fewer.George Springer hit a solo home run in the third for the Astros, who closed to 7-4 in the sixth on Evan Gattis' solo homer.FAREWELLSWednesday's game was the final broadcast for the Astros' Bill Brown, who is retiring after 30 seasons with the team. It was also the last game for Tal's Hill in Minute Maid Park. The Astros renovate the ballpark this offseason, and the center-field fence will be moved in.
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