The 6-2 defeat at T-Mobile Park completed a 4-game sweep by the Mariners, the first time they have swept the Astros in a 4 game series since August 2018.
Two things have hallmarked this season for the Houston Astros thus far: injuries and pitching woes. Both were on display this afternoon when the Astros fell to the Mariners 6-2 at T-Mobile Park. The loss concluded a 4-game sweep by the Mariners and extended the Astros losing streak to 8 games. Houston went 1-9 on it’s 10 game road trip that included
Sacramento (Athletics) and Colorado.
Before the game today, the Astros placed both SS Jeremy Pena (10-day) and SP Tatsuya Imai (15-day) on the IL. They optioned reliever Jayden Murray to Triple A. The recalled SP J.P. France, SP Colton Gordon and UT Shay Whitcomb from Triple A as well.
Then in the first inning, SP Mike Burrows, who looked incredible all spring, continued his regular season struggles. He allowed a 3-run homer to struggling Josh Naylor, who entered the game hitting just .102 this season with a .197 OBP and a .299 OPS, in the first inning to put Houston in an early hole.
Burrows threw a 95.8 MPH fastball right down the middle that Naylor hit for his first HR of the season 365 feet to right centerfield.
It didn’t get any better the second time he faced Naylor in the 3rd inning either.
Naylor would take Burrows deep again, on a nearly identical pitch in nearly the identical spot. A 95.6 MPH fastball, just slightly to the outside of the middle of the plate, and mid-thigh, that Naylor blasted 111.5 MPH and 433 feet to center for his second homer of the season to make it 5-0.
The Astros would try to claw back in the top of the fifth. Cam Smith led off with a single to right, followed by a single to left by Taylor Trammell. With 2 on and no out, Yainer Diaz laced an RBI single to center to get the Astros on the board, scoring Smith. Trammell would score when Nick Allen bounced into a double play to make it 5-2. That is as close as the Astros would get.
In the bottom of the fifth, Luke Raley would get a run back for Seattle with an RBI single to score Julio Rodriguez to make it a 6-2 game.
While J.P France held the line in the 7th and 8th innings, the Astros offense could not respond any further on this day.
While before today’s game the Astros listed all 3 starters for the upcoming series at home against Colorado as TBD, Colton Gordon will get the start for Houston tomorrow.
With the loss, the Astros finish the road trip 1-9, and are now 6-11 on the season.
