Jose Altuve is back
Altuve returns, Astros start series against Mariners with a win
Apr 26, 2021, 10:18 pm
Jose Altuve is back
Jose Altuve's return sparked a big night for Houston's lineup.
After a get-right 3-1 series against the Angels over the weekend, the Astros continued the eight-game homestand on Monday by kicking off a four-game set against the Mariners. Houston hoped to fare better at home against them after dropping two of three in Seattle the last time they met earlier this month. The game also marked the return of Jose Altuve, who would play a big part in Houston starting the series with a win to move back to .500 on the year:
Final Score: Astros 5, Mariners 2
Astros' Record: 11-11, fourth in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Jose Urquidy (1-2)
Losing Pitcher: Justus Sheffield (1-2)
Jose Altuve, making his return to the lineup after missing time due to COVID protocol, made his presence felt in the leadoff spot by getting on base in Houston's first at-bat in the bottom of the first. He would come around to score the first run of the game on an RBI double by Yordan Alvarez, who would also score on an RBI single by Yuli Gurriel, putting the Astros out to the early 2-0 lead.
Altuve would play a part in another scoring play in the bottom of the fourth, getting a two-out two-RBI single to make it a 4-1 game at the time. They scored again in the bottom of the fifth, with Alex Bregman reaching on an infield single and moving along to third to set up a sac fly by Kyle Tucker, extending the lead to four runs at 5-1.
The one run for the Mariners through those first five innings was a solo home run by Kyle Lewis off of Jose Urquidy in the top of the third. Urquidy was otherwise avoiding damage until a leadoff solo homer by Kyle Seager in the top of the sixth, making it a three-run game at 5-2. Urquidy would go on to finish that inning, but touching the high 90s in pitch count would not go any further. His final line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 96 P.
With Urquidy's night done, the first arm out of Houston's bullpen was Bryan Abreu, who would toss a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts. Ryne Stanek was next, erasing a one-out single and two-out walk to keep it a three-run game. With it still 5-2 going to the top of the ninth, the Astros would bring in closer Ryan Pressly, who would finish things off to start the series with a win, Houston's fourth in their last five games, putting them back at an even record.
Up Next: This series rolls on Tuesday night with another 7:10 PM start. Marco Gonzales (1-2, 6.04 ERA) will be on the mound for Seattle, while Cristian Javier (2-0, 1.32 ERA) will stay in the rotation for another start for Houston.
MLB Insider Jeremy Booth, who covers the Astros closely, joins the show to break down one big question — Is Hunter Brown the Astros’ next ace?
Brown is making serious noise in 2025. His stats are up, velocity is up, and his command looks sharper than ever. He’s showing all the signs of becoming a true frontline starter. But should the Astros pay him like one?
We’re talking about Brown’s growth since last season, whether he belongs in the #1 or #2 spot in the rotation, and how his performance stacks up against other well-paid, well-deserved pitchers across the league.
Is it time Houston locks in their future ace?
Be sure to watch the video below for the full discussion.