In surprising spot, Scribner plays stopper

HOUSTON — As the Mariners make a push for October, they’re getting a big boost from a guy who didn’t play a game for them until September.

Reliever Evan Scribner, who spent the season’s first five months on the disabled list with a strained lat muscle, slammed the door on the Astros’ comeback bid with two more scoreless innings of relief before Seattle pulled away for a 12-4 win in Wednesday’s crucial series finale at Minute Maid Park.

“It’s awesome,” the 30-year-old said of parachuting into a postseason run after his season of frustration. “It’s hard to describe. I’m still kind of happy just to be playing. I have a different perspective on this team than everybody else, just watching every day on TV while I was in Arizona rehabbing. It’s really fun playing with a team you were watching on TV.”

While the Mariners’ offense — led by three-run homers by Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager — will understandably get much of the credit for keeping Seattle’s hopes alive, Scribner provided a huge momentum killer to the Astros after they’d cut a seven-run lead to 7-4 and had the tying run at the plate with no outs in the sixth.

Nick Vincent replaced starter James Paxton …

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