SEATTLE -- Brad Miller had a tiebreaking two-run triple in the eighth inning and drove in three runs, helping the Seattle Mariners gain in the AL wild-card race with a 4-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday.
The Mariners moved one game behind Oakland, which lost to the White Sox, 5-4 in 12 innings, for the first wild card and are one game ahead of Detroit for the second playoff spot.
With one out in the eighth, Mike Zunino worked a walk off Michael Foltynewicz (0-1). James Jones pinch ran stole and second. Tony Sipp entered and walked Michael Saunders.
Jones then stole third without a throw. He has 25 steals in 26 attempts.
With the infield and outfield drawn in, Miller hit a liner that skipped past right-fielder Alex Presley, rolling to the wall. Both runners scored and Miller reached third standing up.
Austin Jackson followed with an RBI single to center.
Danny Farquhar (3-1) worked the eighth for the victory.
Fernando Rodney put two on in the ninth but earned his AL-leading 44th save in his 47th opportunity.
Despite struggling with his control, Felix Hernandez tossed five-hit ball for six innings. He matched his season high with four walks and threw two wild pitches.
Houston put runners in scoring position three times against Hernandez but they were hitless in five attempts to drive the runner in - striking out four times.
Astros starter Brad Peacock entered with a 5.01 ERA, but he allowed just four hits, walked two and struck out six in five innings.
Miller delivered a two-out RBI single in the sixth off Jorge De Leon.
The Astros tied it in the seventh - even after having a home run taken back by a replay review.
With one out, Robbie Grossman lifted a high fly off Brandon Maurer to right field. Saunders timed his leap at the 8-foot wall and caught the ball. But the ball flipped out of Saunder's glove as he pulled it back to the playing field.
Initially ruled a home run, the called was overturned and Grossman was sent to third base. Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon argued that it should have been ruled a double, not a triple. He was ejected for the sixth time this season and 49th in his career.
Jose Altuve followed with a sacrifice fly.
Mariners: Saunders was activated from the DL and started in right field. He has been out since July 11 with a left oblique strain and a viral infection. ... OF Dustin Ackley missed his second straight game with a ailing left ankle. "It's one of those things that might take a couple days and I'll be ready to go," he said. He will have an MRI to rule out anything serious.
Mariners LHP Roenis Elias (10-12) matches up against Houston's Collin McHugh.
