You couldn’t have scripted a better start or result. Astros 7 Mariners 0.
Manager Joe Espada wanted to set the tone early and play aggressive. Mission accomplished. The Astros engineered four consecutive singles to start things. Yordan Alvarez drove in the first run, his 100th of the season, making it 1-0. The contest could’ve been broken wide open right then with the bases loaded and no outs, but the Astros stranded all three. However, it was just a matter of time.
The Mariners threatened in the home
half of the first due to a pair of issued walks by Cristian Javier, but things remained scoreless until the third. That’s when Christian Walker’s 3 run blast made things 4-0. It was Walker’s first home run in two weeks and 200th of his career. Walker’s drive to left field brought in Altuve and Diaz who each singled to start the frame. Walker now has 26 home runs on the year.
Mariners ace Logan Gilbert lasted only four innings, departing after 10 hits on 81 pitches. Gilbert’s pitching counterpart, Cristian Javier exited after two frames, dealing with right groin soreness. With the starters gone, it became a battle of bullpens. Miguel Ullola was the first to appear in relief, pitching a pair of scoreless innings. Bennett Sousa represented the third Astros pitcher of the night. Sousa navigated the fifth and sixth innings despite allowing multiple baserunners. He struck out three. Bullpen workhorse, AJ Blubaugh then pitched a scoreless seventh.
Houston increased their lead late. With two outs and two strikes, Isaac Paredes took J.A. Ferrer deep, increasing the lead to 5-0 in the 6th and then Yordan Alvarez put an exclamation point on the evening, with a 2-run blast 10 rows deep to right in the 8th. It was Yordan’s 41st. He trails Pete Alonso by just 6 RBI in the race for the Triple Crown.
Logan VanWey closed things out with scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th. He only allowed a single to Julio Rodriguez, but nothing more.
The Astros have now won for just the second time in their last nine outings at T-Mobile Park. With the victory and the combination of the Rangers loss, they’re again in a tie atop the A.L. West, holding the edge in the tiebreaker.
Odds & Ends:
Jeremy Pena celebrated his 29th birthday by registering his 10th stolen base of the season.
Cam Smith snapped his 0-26 slump with a double in the second inning.
Yordan Alvarez has a 7-game hitting streak.
First pitch for the finale of the mini two game series will be 9:10pm CDT. George Kirby will go for the Mariners.
