ROCKETS BLAST PELICANS
Houston Rockets overwhelm Pelicans in wire-to-wire victory
Mar 8, 2025, 9:39 pm
The Rockets beat the Pelicans, 146-117. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Dillon Brooks had 27 points, Alperen Sengun and Aaron Holiday added 20 each and the Houston Rockets sailed to a 146-117 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.
Houston never trailed in its second straight victory over the Pelicans after getting a 109-97 win in New Orleans on Thursday night.
A 3-pointer by CJ McCollum got the Pelicans within 11 with 10 seconds left in the first half before Brooks made a 3-pointer and a Pelicans turnover gave Houston the ball back.
Brooks made two free throws to end the second and the Rockets opened the third with an 8-4 run to extend the lead to 82-62 with 9 1/2 minutes left in the quarter.
The Rockets led by 26 entering the fourth and an 8-2 run made it 117-85 with 10 minutes left.
Houston's Amen Thompson was a rebound shy of a triple-double with 15 points and 11 assists when he was injured with less than six minutes left. He limped to the locker room, but the team didn’t immediately provide details on his injury.
Zion Williamson scored 20 for the Pelicans and Jose Alvarado had 17 off the bench. McCollum also had 17.
Takeaways
Pelicans: They looked thoroughly overmatched in losing for the fourth time in five games.
Rockets: Houston got off to a good start Saturday in taking advantage of a schedule that has the team playing six straight home games. The Rockets look to get on a roll and move up in the standings after dropping to fifth in the Western Conference amid recent struggles.
Key moment
Houston’s big run spanning the end of the second quarter and the opening minutes of the third.
Key stat
The Rockets improved to 7-2 in games where Brooks scores at least 20 points.
Up next
The Pelicans host Memphis on Sunday night and the Rockets get a visit from Orlando on Monday night.
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Randy Arozarena hit a grand slam in the eighth and drew the game-winning walk in the ninth as the Seattle Mariners rallied for seven runs over the final two innings to beat the Houston Astros 7-6 on Wednesday.
Arozarena's slam trimmed Seattle's deficit to one before the Astros made it 6-4 when Jeremy Peña scored on a wild pitch by Casey Lawrence (1-0) in the top of the ninth.
Julio Rodríguez delivered a two-run double in the bottom half to tie it, and a walk to Mitch Garver loaded the bases. Houston got a forceout at home before Bryan Abreu (0-1) walked Arozarena on a full count.
The Astros seemingly had the game in hand after Hunter Brown pitched two-hit ball over six shutout innings. They took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of eighth against a Mariners team that went 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position during a 2-1 loss in 12 innings Tuesday night.
Lawrence, called up from the minors Wednesday to provide relief for an overtaxed bullpen, pitched the final three innings, giving up two runs and four hits. Luis F. Castillo started for Seattle and threw 100 pitches in four innings, allowing four runs — three earned — in his second major league start.
The Mariners were without infielder Ryan Bliss, put on the 10-day injured list with a left biceps tear. Seattle also called up infielder Leo Rivas, and pitcher Jesse Hahn was designated for assignment.
Key moment
A replay review determined Seattle’s Donovan Solano got back to third base just in time to avoid a tag by Isaac Paredes on a fielder’s choice grounder in the ninth. Rodriguez followed with his bases-loaded double to tie it.
Key stat
Arozarena went 2 for 3 with a double, two walks and five RBIs in the cleanup spot to raise his batting average to .191.
Up next
Houston had not announced a starting pitcher to face RHP Jack Kochanowicz (1-0, 3.27 ERA) and the Angels at home Friday night.
Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (0-2, 5.73) pitches against Texas RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 3.38) on Friday night.