Prized youngsters Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez provide key hits in Mariners’ series-clinching win over Astros

SEATTLE – If pitcher Matt Brash’s tightrope act was the undeniable star attraction of Sunday’s 7-2 win over defending AL West champion Houston, Mariners manager Scott Servais liked the supporting roles played by fellow young players Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez just as well.

Each delivered key hits as the Mariners pounded out 10, each appearing to show some increasing signs of offensive life.

Rodriguez was just 1 for 4. But the one was big, a single to right-center field that came with two outs in the fourth and drove in Luis Torrens to make it 2-0. The hit jump-started what turned out to be a five-run, two-out uprising, capped by Ty France’s three-run homer.

“Julio hit the ball up the middle today, which is a great sign,’’ Servais said. “I thought he looked as comfortable as we’ve seen him all year today.’’

Kelenic went 2 for 4 and is 4 for 14 in his last four games raising his average from .067 to .172.

He first reached on a hard-hit grounder to first that glanced off the glove of Yuri Gurriel in the critical fourth.

After Houston cut the lead to 6-2, Kelenic led off the sixth with a double to left field off Parker Mushinski (who was making his Major League debut), then scoring on an Abraham Toro double to make it 7-2.

The double came on an 87-mile-an-hour changeup after Kelenic had fouled off a fastball.

“I thought he swung the bat pretty well today,’’ Servais said. “Hit the ball hard on the ball off the first baseman’s glove for the hit there — hustled his tail off down the line to beat the play. And then really stuck on that changeup and stayed with it to the opposite field. Nice to see him do that.’’

Kelenic characterized it as another step in his learning process.

“I was looking for a fastball the first pitch and I just missed it and I knew he probably wasn’t going to come back to it,’’ he said. “I’ve had to make an adjustment — they’ve thrown me a lot of off-speed stuff lately and I’ve been pulling it on the ground and they’ve got four guys over there. So had to make an adjustment, let it get a little bit deeper, and just hit a rocket to left-center. To hit a changeup to left-center like that is where I want to be.’’

Said Servais: “Hopefully that leads to a big rest of the homestand for those two guys.’’

To get hit or not get hit?

Shortstop J.P. Crawford was back in the lineup Sunday after being hit by pitch in the knee from Justin Verlander in the seventh inning Saturday night.

Not that he might not have been feeling it a little bit.

Asked following Sunday‘s game if he was OK Crawford paused and said “yeah, yeah. It was fine.’’

Crawford was hit on a pitch in which he seemed willing to take the pain in an effort to get on base and jump-start the offense — somewhat to the consternation of Servais.

Not that he might not have been feeling it a little bit.

Asked following Sunday‘s game if he was OK Crawford paused and said “yeah, yeah. It was fine.’’

Crawford was hit on a pitch in which he seemed willing to take the pain in an effort to get on base and jump-start the offense — somewhat to the consternation of Servais.

“Again he’s just so competitive, it’s just first reaction to do whatever I can to get on base,’’ Servais said. “But often times you are paying for it the day after. Fortunately he feels OK today and obviously he’s in the lineup. He’s so valuable to our team — I appreciate the competitiveness but let’s be smart about it, too.’’