SEATTLE -- George Springer hit the first pitch he saw in three days for a home run. The Houston rookie right fielder wasnt done, hitting another later in the game to help power the Astros past the Seattle Mariners 9-4 on Saturday night. "Thats pretty impressive, to sit out a couple games then the first pitch you see, you take it out the opposite way," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "Thats definitely good to see." Springer injured his right hip flexor on a ninth-inning pickoff play Wednesday in Anaheim. He then sat out the first two games of this series, both Seattle victories. But after Jose Altuve walked to open the game, Springer hit a 90-mph fastball from Brandon Maurer (1-3) into the right-field seats. He also connected on a 1-1 cutter from Maurer for another two-run homer in the Astros five-run sixth. He added an RBI in the sixth for a career-high five, in his 33rd big league game. Oberholtzer (1-6), recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game, allowed two runs in the first, and then settled in, retiring 10 straight during one stretch. He finished with three runs allowed -- two earned -- with one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts. "He did a great job of attacking the strike zone," Porter said. "He did a good job pitching in. When he pitched his first stint here, he had gotten away from his effectiveness, on the inner-third of the plate. He got that back today and really attacked both sides." In his only other start against Seattle on Sept. 1 last season, Oberholtzer threw a complete-game shutout, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out five. He is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings against Seattle. "I felt I pitched good," Oberholtzer said. "Before the game, I told myself, whatever happens, happens. Throw strikes and have fun. Its been a while since Ive had fun." Maurer went 4 1-3 innings for the Mariners, allowing six runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two. The Mariners rallied for two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Stefen Romero walked, then Robinson Cano singled to right. Cano has reached base safely in 31 consecutive games, hitting .372 with 11 extra-base hits and 20 RBI during the streak. It is the longest streak of his career, and longest active in the majors. Justin Smoak followed with a single, loading the bases for Kyle Seager, who bounced a potential double-play grounder to first. But first baseman Marc Krauss threw wildly to second, allowing Romero and Cano to score. After Springers first homer, Maurer then retired the next 11 straight, nine on flyballs. But the Astros rocked him in the fifth. Chris Carter opened with a double to left and Alex Presley singled to right, with Carter holding at third. Jonathan Villar bounced a grounder to Cano, who tried to start 4-6-3 double play but bobbled the ball and settled for a Presley tagout as Carter scored. Altuve singled to right and Villar, running on the pitch, scored from first to make it 4-2. Springer followed with his sixth home run on a 1-1 fastball from Maurer into the left-field bullpen. "Hes unbelievable," Springer said of Altuve. "When he goes, our offence goes. Hes always on base. Hes a big guy for us. Im happy to hit behind him and happy to play with him. He can run and with him on base, it makes it easier for me to be more selective and still aggressive. "The home runs were all on him. He got me in a good hitting count and we go from there." Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Maurer has had "a few times where he is on a run and one thing or another goes wrong and he doesnt seem to get it back together." Asked about that, Maurer said: "I lost conviction. I wasnt throwing with confidence in my pitches. I dont know, it just went away, I guess." Tom Wilhelmsen entered and yielded an RBI single to Krauss as the Astros matched their season high for runs in an inning. It also was the most runs allowed in an inning by the Mariners this season. The Astros scored two more in the sixth, one on a wild pitch by Wilhelmsen and the other on Springers RBI groundout. Wilhelmsen had entered with a 13 2-3-inning consecutive scoreless streak. The Mariners added a run in the sixth on Michael Saunders bases-loaded groundout. In the eighth, John Bucks groundout sent Kyle Seager home from third. NOTES: RHP Taijuan Walker, sidelined since spring training with a sore shoulder, likely will be sent out on a rehab assignment Wednesday. He will start for Triple-A Tacoma and be limited to 75 pitches. "Im excited to get back there Wednesday, get into my regular five-day routine again," Walker said. Walker is the Mariners top pitching prospect. . Oberholtzer was recalled before the game with LHP Rudy Owens, who started Friday and optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Astros manager Bo Porter said the spot starts by Oberholtzer and Owens "allows all those guys (regular starters) to get an extra day rest. It just makes good sense to take care of the guys whove been so good for us all year." ... It was a "Turn Back the Clock" night for the Mariners, back to 1979. NBA great Lenny Wilkens, coach of the citys only major championship that year, tossed out the first pitch. Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon caught it. ... James Jones single in the second extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Its also a continuing club rookie record for his first 14 career starts. Air Vapormax 97 Scontate . - Alex Dostie scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Gatineau Olympiques to a 5-3 victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Sunday. Nike Air Vapormax 97 Italia . According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, the deal will pay Schenn $2.25 million in the first year and $2.75 million in the second year. In 82 games with the Flyers in 2013-14, Schenn scored 20 goals and added 21 assists. http://www.nikejustdoit.it/. -- Jane Kish stopped all 25 shots she faced as the Weyburn Gold Wings blanked the Sudbury Lady Wolves 3-0 on Friday to advance to the gold-medal game at the Esso Cup. Air Max 270 Uomo Offerta . - Tiger Woods only made it through 10 holes Thursday — this time because of the weather, not his back. Nike Air Max 97 Uomo Scontate . The teams were scoreless for most of the first two periods before Canada scored three times in a span of less than four minutes. Sarah Potomak opened the scoring on the power play.There are many Toronto Blue Jays fans still harbouring the dream that Ricky Romero can conquer his pitching demons and make it back to the Blue Jays and, in turn, again become the pitcher who won 42 games for the club from 2009 through 2011. But maybe its time to face facts, cut Ricky loose and give him a fresh start with another organization. After showing a little bit of progress at Triple-A Buffalo, the 29-year-old southpaw has regressed with three rocky starts in a row. Friday night at Charlotte, against the Chicago White Sox-affiliate Knights, he only lasted three innings, giving up five hits and five earned runs, walking five and striking out three. He also gave up a pair of home runs, a season high. In six games, all starts, Romero is 0-1 and has pitched only 27 innings, or just a little over four per start. Hes given up 30 hits, struck out 20 and has given up an alarming 23 walks. Remember the slide began in 2012, when Ricky went 9-14 with a 5.77 ERA and routinely melted down on the mound. Last season in a brief stint with the big club, he went 0-2 before getting shipping to Buffalo, where hes been ever since. So essentially, this is Ricky Romeros third season of trying to rediscover himself. You can see why the Blue Jays are going the extra mile with this. Romero was a staff ace and an All-Star. The Jays also owe him whats left of his $7.5 million for this season, another $7.5 million next year, plus a $600,000 buyout on his $13.1 million for 2016. So thats at least $15.6 million guaranteed, owed for the next two-plus years. Youve heard that old cliche a million times about pro sports being a business where tough decisions have to be made. Well, maybe its time the Blue Jays made the call on Ricky Romero. Set him free and give him the chance to start with another organization, where he can put the struggles of the last three years behind him. The Blue Jays cut ties with J.P. Arencibia with little regret. Now is the time for Ricky Romero. - There is another interesting reclamation project going on with Buffalo right now. Georgetown, Ontario native Shawn Hill is trying to rebuild his pitching career at age 33. Hill has battled his way through two Tommy John surgeries and had two previous stints in the Blue Jays organization, albeit brief ones, in 2010 and 2012. Hill signed with the Jays in March and started out with Double-A New Hampshire going 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA. He was promoted to Buffalo last week and dropped his first start in Georgia against the Gwinnett Braves. He gave up six hits, including two homers, and walked two in six innings to take the loss in a 5-0 game. Can Shawn Hill make it all the way back? Maybe, but more likely than not, hes just an emergency depth arm the way Chien-Ming Wang was a year ago. Hill does hold one unique distinction, though. He won the last game contested between the Jays and the Montreal Expos. It came on July 4, 2004. The game was played in Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the Expos played out a 20-game portion their schedule in their finaal year in Montreal before moving to Washington.dddddddddddd Hill and the Expos won that game 6-4. - One arm that might help the Blue Jays out before the end of the season is that of Kyle Drabek. A key piece of the Roy Halladay deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Drabek has battled his own control demons, and like Romero, has had some epic mound meltdowns. He appears to be improving now at Buffalo. Hes 3-2 with a 4.04 ERA. Over 35.2 innings, Drabek has allowed seven homers, which is not good, but hes also struck out 30 while walking only 15. So there is a bit of hope there. - The strange thing about the Los Angeles Angels taking the first three games of this four-game set over the weekend: the Angels two best hitters, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, had so little to do with the outcome. Pujols who recently smacked his 500th homer and is one of the greatest players of his generation, if not all-time, went 1 for 13 (a double) and walked twice. Trout went 2 for 14 with a walk. He slugged a solo homer off Dustin McGowan on Friday night and hit an RBI double on Sunday out of the DH slot. Trout also earned the old "Golden Sombrero" on Sunday by striking out 4 times. - Ive got to admit, I was shocked when the Baltimore Orioles traded ace closer Jim Johnson to the Oakland Athletics in the off-season, but Tommy Hunter, who I always felt was prone to giving up inopportune home runs, has stepped in without missing a beat. Hunter has 11 saves, tops in the American League, and the Orioles are 17-0 when leading after eight innings. - The New York Yankees pitching depth is being push right to the brink. Ivan Nova is gone for the season. Michael Pineda, who was first suspended, is now gone for another week or two with a muscle strain. That would serious impair most staffs, but now the Yankees will have to get by without C.C Sabathia.Hes gone on the 15-day disabled list with right knee inflammation. Its the same knee he had meniscus surgery on in 2010. You have to start wondering if its the beginning of the end for C.C. He was 3-4 this season with a 5.28 ERA and also leads the American League with 10 homers allowed, including three in the final game he pitched before going on the DL. I wonder if theyve got Andy Pettittes number on speed dial. - At the risk of beating the proverbial dead horse, you wonder where the Blue Jays would be if they could have convinced Ervin Santana to sign with them rather than the Atlanta Braves. In six starts with the Braves, Santana has made five quality starts. Hes 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA, with 43 strikeouts, just nine walks and only two home runs allowed. The Brave,s riding a three-game win streak, are in first place in the NL East, two games up on the Miami Marlins. - Kudos to White Sox captain Paul Konerko, who, like Derek Jeter, is in the final year of his career. Konerko slugged his first home run and 435th of his career on Saturday and, thus, moved into 43rd place on the all-time list just ahead of Juan Gonzalez and Andruw Jones. ' ' '