J.P. Crawford’s tiebreaking homer lifts 1st-place Mariners to 8-7 win over Mets

NEW YORK — J.P. Crawford led off the ninth inning with a tiebreaking homer and the Seattle Mariners beat the New York Mets 8-7 on Saturday night to extend their small lead in the AL West.

Crawford hit the second pitch from Adam Ottavino (1-5) into the right-field seats for the Mariners, who squandered a four-run lead but still improved to 39-16 since July 1 — the best record in the majors during that span.

Seattle moved a game ahead of second-place Houston, which lost 5-4 to the New York Yankees.

Justin Topa (5-4) got the final four outs for Seattle. He gave up two hits in the ninth, but Daniel Vogelbach was thrown out trying to stretch a leadoff single and Topa retired Francisco Álvarez on a comebacker with a runner at first.

Teoscar Hernandez homered and finished with three RBIs. Dominic Canzone delivered his first career pinch-hit homer, a two-run drive in the sixth. Julio Rodríguez hit an RBI triple in the second and Sam Haggerty built a run in the sixth by walking, stealing two bases and scoring on an error.

Jeff McNeil finished a homer shy of the cycle for the Mets and tied the game with a run-scoring triple in the eighth. DJ Stewart stayed hot with a three-run shot — his ninth homer in the last 15 games — while Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos also went deep.

Mets rookie Ronny Mauricio, recalled from the minors Friday, had his second straight two-hit game.

Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo allowed five runs and struck out a season-low two in five-plus innings, snapping a streak of eight straight starts in which he lasted at least six innings.

David Peterson gave up four runs in four-plus innings for the Mets.

MAGIC MAN

Mauricio became the seventh Mets player to begin his career with consecutive multi-hit games and the first to do it since Josh Thole in September 2009.

METS MOVES

New York recalled RHP Grant Hartwig from Triple-A Syracuse and optioned RHP Denyi Reyes to the same affiliate. The Mets also claimed RHP Peyton Battenfield off waivers from Cleveland and optioned him to Syracuse. Battenfield was 0-4 with a 5.19 ERA in seven games (six starts) this season for the Guardians.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: 1B Ty France left the game immediately after being hit on the right elbow by Hartwig’s pitch leading off the sixth. He has a bruised elbow.

Mets: Vientos appeared to get hurt running the bases in the seventh and was replaced by Jonathan Araúz in the top of the eighth. … RHP Edwin Díaz (right patellar tendon) threw another bullpen, his fourth of the homestand.

UP NEXT

A nine-game homestand against AL West opponents concludes Sunday for the Mets, who will send RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.29 ERA) to the mound against Mariners RHP George Kirby (10-8, 3.28). Megill is facing Seattle for the first time. Kirby, who grew up a little more than 20 miles from Citi Field, hasn’t started since Aug. 23 due to an illness.

Seattle 8, N.Y. Mets 7

a-homered for Moore in the 6th. b-struck out for Caballero in the 8th. c-popped out for Araúz in the 9th. d-grounded out for Narváez in the 9th.

1-ran for France in the 6th. 2-ran for Stewart in the 9th.

E_Vientos (3). LOB_Seattle 5, New York 10. 2B_Nimmo (22), McNeil (22). 3B_Rodríguez (2), McNeil (3). HR_Hernández (24), off Peterson; Canzone (3), off Hartwig; Crawford (14), off Ottavino; Stewart (10), off Castillo; Vientos (4), off Castillo; Lindor (25), off Speier. RBIs_Hernández 3 (84), Rodríguez (88), Canzone 2 (5), Crawford (46), Stewart 3 (21), Vientos (12), Lindor 2 (81), McNeil (48). SB_Mauricio (1), Haggerty 2 (6), Rodríguez (36). SF_Hernández.

Runners left in scoring position_Seattle 2 (Suárez, Haggerty); New York 5 (Stewart, Lindor, McNeil, Alonso 2). RISP_Seattle 2 for 8; New York 1 for 12.

Runners moved up_France, Rodríguez, McNeil, Alonso. GIDP_Suárez.

DP_New York 1 (Lindor, Mauricio, Alonso).

Inherited runners-scored_Speier 1-1, Brash 1-0, Topa 1-0, Hartwig 1-1, Reid-Foley 1-1. HBP_Castillo (Vogelbach), Peterson (Crawford), Hartwig (France).

Umpires_Home, Adam Hamari; First, Nick Mahrley; Second, Jacob Metz; Third, Vic Carapazza.

T_3:10. A_31,480 (42,136).