All baseball games speak for themselves. They exist in a bubble. The difference is in what they say. Some hold so little meaning in the slog that they are ethereal, and quickly lost to the sands of memory. Some games hold a special meaning, but the meaning derives from the history that comes before it. And yet another type of game, much rarer exists, where it is fueled both by the history, and for how they speak for themselves. Today the Seattle Mariners played game two against division rival Houston
Astros in the final game of the series, at Houston’s home Daikin Park, with the season series and so much more on the line. The type of game it was, it will be remembered as? Well…
May 04, 2022:
The Seattle Mariners played the Houston Astros at what was then called Minute Maid Park, and lost 7-2. I called it The Horrible Houston Happening, and it was my third ever game recap for Lookout Landing, and I chose to do it in a style reflecting Lemony Snicket. My first two recaps were wins against the Rangers and then Rays, respectively, but the loss against the division rival Astros was far from a surprise, yet still grim as it was also a game three sweep in that series. For some time in the recent era, the Astros beating up on the Mariners is just what they have done. That season the Mariners would go on to have a 7-12 (7-15 if you count the playoffs) win-loss record against Houston, and finished in second place behind them in the division, a whopping sixteen games back despite a 90-win season. Oh, and Houston went on to win the whole damn thing that year. Also of note but far less important is that it was a Matt Brash start, and few who follow the team now need to be told that he found his true success as a high-leverage reliever.
October 15th, 2022:
George Kirby makes his playoff start debut against the Houston Astros in game three of the ALDS. They would go on to lose the game 1-0 in an 18 inning affair, and with that loss be swept out of the playoffs. George Kirby was no part of the loss, posting a line of 7.0 IP, 0 ER on 6 H, and racking up five strikeouts with, of course, no walks. The only run of the game was a home run in the top of the 18th from none other than Jeremy Peña.
2023-2024:
In 2023 the Mariners had a record of 9-4 against the Astros, and went 8-5 against them in 2024. The division standings in 2023 saw them closer than in ‘22, finishing only 2.0 games back, but in third place behind both tied Texas teams, and 1.0 games back from the final wild card spot. In 2024 the Mariners finished in second behind Houston, and only 1.0 game back this time, inching ever closer, but also 1.0 game back of the last wild card spot. No longer was the Astros beating up on the Mariners a given, despite that Seattle couldn’t eclipse Houston’s success.
September 09, 2025:
Entering game two of the final game of the series, the Seattle Mariners held a win-loss record of 6-5 against the Houston Astros, and stood 1.0 game ahead of them in the division. A win would obviously create space in the division lead, but more importantly, secure a season series tie-breaker in what could be a very tight race in the closing week.
Houston stalwart Framber Valdez held the mound, and quickly he had two outs in his favor with a Randy Arozarena groundout and a Cal Raleigh full count swinging strikeout. But the Mariners would be first to break the peace today, the first to strike and draw blood. Julio Rodríguez went 3-1 before drawing a walk, and Eugenio Suárez hit one that seemed to hover to a landing over the head of center fielder Jake Meyers, bouncing first off the start of the warning track and then the wall, giving more than enough room for the speedy Julio to reach home plate. Polanco would ground out to end the inning, and Valdez was far from overworked at 16 pitches, but damage had been done.
George Kirby claimed his bottom inning spot on the hill, the visiting foe ready to face these supposed stars. Jeremy Peña grounded out first pitch. Carlos Correa hit a single to right field, Isaac Paredes went 1-2 before striking out swinging on a fastball above the zone, and Jose Altuve singled into center to bring it to two outs for Kirby, with two runners on. Victor Caratini hit an infield grounder to first, and George was out of the inning with no damage done, and his team in the lead.
The second inning would not see many mistakes from Framber Valdez, truly. But that didn’t matter much to this Seattle Mariners lineup. Or at least, Josh Naylor would. They would make a run if they had to, fresh from scratch. Josh Naylor landed a parachute single into shallow left field, and with Mitch Garver batting he both stole second base and advanced to third on Garver’s flyout. Victor Robles hit a sacrifice fly to deep center, Naylor crossing home with a run mostly his own. Crawford grounded out to end the inning, but once again the Mariners left a tally on the board.
On Kirby’s side of the second, he would face the minimum. Yainer Diaz singled on a line drive to start things off, but Jesús Sánchez on a 2-2 fastball in the upper part of the zone, and Jake Meyers hit into an inning ending double play.
The third inning would see history made. Valdez produced an Arozarena groundout, but Raleigh was waiting right behind him. Falling behind 0-2 looking at two pitches in the bottom of the zone, Cal didn’t hesitate to find the floating 95.5 mph sinker and send it 105.6 mph for his 57th home run of the season. He leads all of MLB, and is now the Seattle Mariner to hit the most in a season, eclipsing the two seasons Ken Griffey Jr. hit 56.
Valdez would finish that inning getting Julio to ground out, giving up a 3-2 walk to Eugenio, and get Polanco to fly out. Still, the Mariners had for the third inning of three put a tally on the board.
Kirby once again faced the minimum in the third, and kept to the theme of threes, getting each of the three batters in Cam Smith, Peña, and Correa to ground out.
Valdez would finally escape without damage in the fourth inning, but not without a baserunner. Naylor grounded out, Garver struck out swinging, and then Victor Robles hit a grounder up the middle to reach first base. J.P. Crawford would work a full count, and Robles swiped second, but ultimately Crawford struck out.
Kirby floated consistently through the lower fourth and facing the minimum again, with both Paredes and Altuve flying out, and then Victor Caratini striking out looking on what was honestly a generous call on a pitch a little above the corner.
Valdez would not see the end of the fifth inning. Randy Arozarena quickly gave up one out with a grounder, but Raleigh followed it up with a 3-1 walk. Julio swatted the first pitch and bounced the ball into right field moving Raleigh to second, but then Eugenio struck out swinging on a 2-2 count. The Mariners had been steadily advancing a lead, but to do more damage they would need some two out magic. Polanco singled to load the bases, and Josh Naylor drew a 3-2 Jack Cust Special to bring in another run for the M’s and ending Framber’s night. Jayden Murray took over and Dominic Canzone lined one into right to add on one more. Robles next struck out and the inning ended, but this time the Mariners tallied two, perhaps to make up for the previous inning’s lack of a tally.
Kirby would, once again, face the minimum in the fifth inning. Yainer Diaz flew out, Jesús Sánchez was called out on strikes, and Jake Meyers was also caught looking. Oh, and Astros Manager Joe Espada was ejected from the game.
The sixth inning had Murray come back out for the ‘Stros, and the Mariners would tally not. Crawford leadoff the inning with a four pitch walk, but that was where he would rest. Randy lined out, Raleigh was called out on strikes on a 2-2 count, and Julio went 3-2 but flew out to left to make out three.
Kirby appeared for the final time, giving up a single each to Smith and Peña to start the inning off, putting runners on the corners. Carlos Correa came up next, and with a 1-2 count, he struck out swinging. Paredes started in an 0-2 hole but worked it back to full, but struck out swinging on a challenge pitch, a 97.3 mph fastball in the upper-center half of the zone. Jose Altuve grounded out to end the inning, and George Kirby’s night was done. Exactly one hundred pitches thrown, and a line nearly reflective of his game three ALDS performance way back in 2022: 6.0 IP, 7 K, 0 BB, 5 H, 0 ER. He also had 11 whiffs and a CSW of 32%.
Colton Gordon came in for the Astros for the seventh, and he was quickly in double the trouble. Eugenio made him work all the way to a 3-2 count, and then smacked one to the left field corner for a leadoff double. Polanco played Jesse to Geno’s James and followed up with a mirrored two-bagger, hitting his line drive to right field, and scoring Suárez. Naylor next grounded out, Canzone went down swinging, and Robles lined out, and it would end at yet another tally, but for the Astros it was beginning to look like death by a thousand cuts.
But in games with this level of weight, fate often cuts both ways.
Up next on the mound for Seattle came Carlos Vargas. Caratini flew out to start, but Yandy Diaz got things going, if slowly, on a creeping infield grounder single. Jesús Sánchez singled on a liner to left, and Jake Meyers grounded out, but advancing the runners to second and third. One Cam Smith hit by pitch on the hand later, and the bases were loaded. Up to bat, Jeremy Peña. The very same Peña who in his rookie year hit the home run that eliminated the Seattle Mariners from the postseason, a postseason where he would go on to win World Series MVP. With two outs and the bases loaded Peña found the 1-0 sinker from Vargas and launched it for a grand slam, and suddenly Houston was only two runs behind.
Vargas recovered in getting next batter Carlos Correa to ground out and end the inning, but the game was no longer a shutout, and the beating had become a brawl.
Steven Okert worked the upper eighth facing a minimum Mariners with a Crawford pop out, an Arozarena swinging strikeout, and a Raleigh ground out. The bottom of the eighth had Seattle counter with Eduard Bazardo, and he had a mixed outing. He fell Paredes looking on a 1-2 pitch, but followed that up with an Altuve single and a Caratini double to put runners on second and third. He held the line there and got Yainer Diaz to strike out swinging, and Gabe Speier came in with an electric strikeout of Christian Walker, pinch hitting for Sánchez, getting Walker to swing through a 97.4 mph 0-2 fastball near the top of the zone.
Bryan Abreu set down all writing utensils from the Mariners, and assured the tallies had come to a rest. Julio grounded out, Eugenio flew out, and Polanco struck out on a 2-2 check swing to bring to the bottom of the ninth, and Andrés Muñoz to act as the protector, the firefighter, for the Mariners’ lead in a game with such heavy season implications. This wasn’t just a bullpen appearance, this was the edge of fate. The loom awaited, the threads just needed to finally come together.
Immediately the Astros gained the advantage of every batter representing a tying run with Jake Meyers taking a pitch to the hand and therefore first base. Zach Cole pinch hit for Cam Smith, but could only manage to strike out swinging in his place, going down swinging through a floaty 1-2 slider. The ever-pesky Peña drew a 3-2 walk, and there were runners on first and second with only one out. Carlos Correa, the Astros legend himself, came up to bat representing the potential winning run. He lined it at a 25 degree launch angle perfectly into the right-center gap, 80.5 mph off of the bat, and Victor Robles did something spectacular. Laying full out into a belly slide, Robles gloved the ball, and with the runners not familiar with Victor Robles’ game already far too advanced, a quick and easy throw to second base doubled up Meyers for the final out of the game.
The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros, in their home park, with a score of 6-4. In doing so, they are now 7-5 on the season. The worst they can do is fall to 7-6 tomorrow, and they have clinched the season series and therefore also the division tiebreaker, and sit 2.0 games ahead of Houston. Not only that, with today’s win, the shift is much more symbolic. Seattle has been slowly inching success over their division foe, but all the while the Astros were a star that shined brightly, above. Today they inch closer and closer to the horizon. The dawn creeping in around them. That dawn that is creeping in? Today’s win also places them outside of a playoff spot, with them being on the sour end of the tiebreaker between them and a surging Cleveland team. Who are tied with them in the final Wild Card Spot. Another team in that same playoff mix is the Detroit Tigers, who also hold the tiebreaker over Houston. For the first time in perhaps a long time, the west is not only winnable, that win is beginning to graze the outer limits of their reach. For the first time in a long time, Houston has stumbled. When Victor Robles dove and grabbed that ball, he may have been helping the Mariners grab something much bigger, a change in their destiny. Of course for them to finalize that, as well as affirm a potential fall of the Astros, the next week of play becomes ever important. Still, through whatever witchy ways the Mariners have achieved this series of fortunate events, today gave them the edge to finish the swing.
