The Mariners beat the Astros, 7-6. Composite Getty Image.
Rookie second baseman Cole Young hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.
Young — who also delivered a game-ending fielder’s choice in the 11th inning of his major league debut — provided some more late-night theatrics in the Emerald City. Just a couple weeks shy of his 22nd birthday, Young went below the zone to drive a splitter from reliever Hector Neris (3-2) into right field, scoring automatic runner Dominic Canzone from third base.
Though the Mariners jumped out to a 4-1 lead after just three innings, their advantage disappeared once Seattle reliever Carlos Vargas lost control of his sinker in the sixth.
He plunked two batters, first Brice Matthews and then Zack Short, which led to warnings being issued to both benches. Jose Altuve, Victor Caratini and Christian Walker all added RBI singles shortly afterward to put the Astros up 5-4.
The Mariners evened it in the eighth thanks to a fortuitous bounce. Astros reliever Bryan Abreu spiked a slider, allowing Randy Arozarena to score with ease from third base on the wild pitch and ultimately force extra innings.
The teams traded runs in the 10th before Eduard Bazardo (4-0) tossed a scoreless inning to set the stage for Young.
Key moment
Ahead of Young’s game-winning single, Miles Mastrobuoni laid down a terrific sacrifice bunt to advance Canzone to third. Mastrobuoni and teammate Jorge Polanco both executed textbook sacrifice bunts in extra innings.
Key stat
Young is the first Mariners player 21 or younger with a walk-off hit since Alex Rodriguez on March 31, 1996, against the Chicago White Sox.
Up next
Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (9-4, 2.43 ERA) starts Sunday against right-hander Bryan Woo (8-4, 2.75) in the finale of the three-game set.
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The Astros returned from the All-Star break facing two pivotal turning points: a season-defining road series in Seattle and an increasingly hard-to-ignore situation at first base. And while their draft-day gamble on high school slugger Xavier Neyens speaks to long-term optimism, the questions swirling around Christian Walker feel far more immediate.
Houston’s decision to select Neyens 21st overall was a surprise to some, not because of his talent, but because of the organization's pressing need for bats in the upper minors. Still, those inside the draft room saw too much upside to pass on.
Considering the Astros reluctance to sign players long-term, he might be the Jeremy Peña or Isaac Paredes replacement down the road if Cam Smith stays in right field. The bat speed is elite, and the belief is he’ll grow into real power.
Neyens, a 6-foot-4 shortstop projected to possibly shift to third base, may someday be a middle-of-the-lineup anchor. But in the near term, it’s Houston’s lack of middle-of-the-lineup production at first base that casts a shadow over their playoff push.
Walker, acquired in hopes of stabilizing the position after José Abreu’s departure, has not delivered. He’s hitting .229 with a .660 OPS and has already been dropped to seventh in the lineup. With the Astros quietly monitoring alternatives, Jon Singleton, yes, that Jon Singleton, has reemerged as a name worth watching. The left-handed slugger has already hit four homers in 16 games for Sugar Land, posting an .850 OPS. That’s not nothing, even if his career numbers don’t scream long-term fix. In a more typical scenario, the Astros could implement a platoon at first base. But Walker is actually hitting worse against left-handed pitching (.180).
Unless Singleton forces their hand by continuing to look like Babe Ruth in Sugar Land, they’ll likely keep riding with Walker. But the leash is shorter than it was.
The Astros cut ties with Abreu just 1.5 seasons into a 3-year contract. A similar timeline isn’t out of the question for Walker if things don’t turn around. Especially with free agency and trade deadlines presenting chances for Dana Brown to build in contingency plans.
In the meantime, Houston’s most important series of the season so far gets underway this Friday in Seattle, where the Mariners enter just five games back after bludgeoning the Tigers heading into the break. The Astros’ lead, once seven games, feels less secure with Yordan Alvarez, Peña, and Jake Meyers all still sidelined.
The good news: the Astros lead MLB in strikeouts and WHIP, and are TOP 5 in ERA. Their OPS over the past month is second in the league. The concern: Hunter Brown has been shaky in back-to-back starts, and the back of the rotation is a patchwork of question marks.
The Astros apparently have similar concerns about Brown, opting to give him more rest coming out of the All-Star break. He won't be pitching against the Mariners. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart is reporting that the Astros will start Brandon Walter on Friday, Lance McCullers on Saturday, and Framber Valdez on Sunday.
Astros rotation against Seattle:
Friday: LHP Brandon Walter (1-2, 3.98)
Saturday: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4, 6.48)
Sunday: LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.75)
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 17, 2025
Big picture
A sweep in either direction would shift the momentum dramatically. But even a closely contested series could reveal more about where this roster stands, and whether first base remains a tolerated flaw or becomes an active problem.
For now, the Astros are winning enough to keep the conversation quiet. But the noise is building. And if Walker can’t find another gear soon, first base might again become a defining storyline for a team trying to hold off a charge in the West.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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