ALDS GAME 1 REACTION
Houston Astros rally, Yordan walks it off to win 8-7 over the Mariners
Oct 11, 2022, 6:29 pm
ALDS GAME 1 REACTION
Watch the postgame show live on YouTube!
The Astros started in a hole in Game 1 of the ALDS with Justin Verlander giving up one run in the first inning. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh drove in a run to right field, before Verlander was able to get out of the jam.
The Astros only saw 6 pitches in the bottom of the first and JV was quickly back on the field.
Verlander took the mound in the top of the 2nd with the Astros down 1-0. That wouldn't last long as JV would give up three more runs before getting bailed out with a double play ball to end the inning. (A nice play by Jeremy Pena and Jose Altuve)
Mariners 4, Astros 0.
The Astros got the offense going against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert in the bottom of the third. Chas McCormick started the inning with a base hit. Martin Maldonado then struck out with Jose Altuve coming to the plate. Altuve worked a walk, Jeremy Pena hit a ball deep to center, allowing McCormick to tag up and move to third.
Next up, Yordan Alvarez got a curveball and drove it off the wall in left field, recording a double and driving in McCormick and Altuve. Kyle Tucker stuck out on a breaking ball to end the inning. Mariners 4, Astros 2 heading to the fourth.
It looked like Verlander was starting to get comfortable after striking out the first two batters of the fourth inning. That wouldn't last long as JV gave up a monster home run to J.P. Crawford, then a triple to Julio Rodriguez and a double to Ty France putting the Mariners up 6-2. JV would give up a hit to Eugenio Suarez, but Alvarez threw France out at the plate heading to the bottom of the fourth, Mariners 6, Astros 2.
Yuli Gurriel quickly responded in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a home run to left field. Mancini, McCormick, and Maldonado would go down in order after that. Mariners 6, Astros 3.
After two scoreless innings, the Mariners got on the board again with a solo home run by Eugenio Suarez off of Cristian Javier, making the score 7-3 in the top of the seventh.
The Astros got back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth after a single off the wall from Yordan Alvarez and an absolute bomb of a homer to left center from Alex Bregman. Mariners flame-throwing reliever Andres Munoz threw Bregman four straight sliders, and clearly it was one too many. Next up, an angry Munoz struck out Kyle Tucker on a 102 MPH fastball. With two outs, Yuli Gurriel collected his third hit of the game, bringing Trey Mancini to the plate with two outs. Mancini stuck out on a slider sending the game to the ninth inning. Mariners 7, Astros 5.
The Astros got a quick clean inning from Rafael Montero and headed to the ninth down two. Christian Vazquez led off the inning with a ground out. David Hensley was then hit by a pitch brining up Altuve who would strike out. With the Astros down to their final out, Jeremy Pena ripped a single to center and the Mariners put in former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray to pitch to Yordan Alvarez.
And Yordan did what Yordan does, he hit a 3-run bomb to win the game.
Final: Astros 8, Mariners 7.
Next up: Game 2 of the ALDS gets started Thursday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals will square off Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game set, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET at Daikin Park.
After splitting the first two games, the Nationals taking Monday’s opener in a tight 2-1 contest, and the Astros responding Tuesday night to snap a five-game skid, the series finale sets up as a tone-setter for both clubs.
The Astros, who sit atop the AL West at 61-47, will hand the ball to right-hander Ryan Gusto (6-4, 5.18 ERA), who’s looking to bounce back from a rough outing in his last start. Gusto has shown flashes of potential but has struggled with consistency, posting a 1.48 WHIP across 80 innings. Houston is 34-24 at home and has a strong track record when its bats get going. The club is 41-19 when recording at least eight hits.
The Nationals counter with lefty MacKenzie Gore (4-10, 3.52 ERA), whose numbers don’t tell the full story. Despite the losing record, Gore has been Washington’s most electric arm this season, tallying 144 strikeouts with a 1.27 WHIP. He’ll look to quiet a Houston offense that’s been up and down of late, hitting .249 over its last 10 games.
Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve remains the heartbeat of the Astros lineup, entering Wednesday with 17 homers, 17 doubles, and 54 RBIs on the year.
The Nationals, meanwhile, have been led by breakout star James Wood, who’s delivered 45 extra-base hits this season, including 24 home runs. Luis Garcia has also found a groove lately, batting .306 over his last 10 games with a pair of homers and two doubles.
With the series tied, Wednesday’s finale offers a chance for Houston to build momentum at home and for Washington to steal a series on the road. The Astros enter as slight -122 favorites, according to BetMGM, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs.
Altuve back in the leadoff spot?
So what grabs our attention first? How about Jose Altuve leading off? We haven't seen that in a while. He's playing second base today so he doesn't have to worry about running in from left field. Hitting second and catching is Yainer Diaz. We rarely see Diaz this high in the batting order. He's hitting .381 over his last seven games, and Espada has clearly taken notice. Christian Walker (DH) is back in the three-spot, with Cam Smith playing right field and hitting cleanup.
Victor Caratini will hit fifth and play first base, followed by Mauricio Dubon (3B), Cooper Hummel (LF), Chas McCormick (CF), and Zack Short (SS).
Closing out the homestand.
⚾️: 1:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/FBYOWYK7jo
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 30, 2025
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