Houston is back up to second in the division

Astros mount a late comeback over Mariners to secure series win

Astros' Zack Greinke
Houston's offense helped bail Zack Greinke out on Wednesday. Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Houston's offense helped bail Zack Greinke out on Wednesday.

Having gone 5-1 in this homestand so far, the Astros tried to secure this series against the Mariners and keep moving up the AL West standings with a win on Wednesday night. Things looked bleak for Houston after a rough outing from Greinke, but his offense would get him off the hook and mount a late rally to win the game.

Final Score: Astros 7, Mariners 5

Astros' Record: 13-11, second in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Joe Smith (1-1)

Losing Pitcher: Rafael Montero (2-1)

Greinke has a rough night on the mound

Houston's offense would provide Zack Greinke an early lead to work with, getting two runs on the board in the bottom of the second on RBI singles by Chaz McCormick and Myles Straw. Seattle would quickly erase that, though, and send Greinke to an early exit.

First, they cut the lead to one run with a solo home run to lead off the top of the third. They then got after Greinke in the top of the fourth, working back-to-back two-out walks before a two-RBI double and single-RBI double to grab a 4-2 lead. That would also be Greinke's last inning, ending his disappointing night early: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 85 P.

Houston gets a huge eighth inning to pull out the win

Brandon Bielak would enter in relief to try and chew up at least a few innings. He, too, was met with Seattle's momentum, giving up a two-out solo home run in the top of the fifth to make it a three-run game at 5-2, but would continue on to finish three innings of work.

Houston would get one run back in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to a two-out double by Yuli Gurriel to set up an RBI single by Carlos Correa, making it 5-3. Joe Smith would take over for Bielak in the top of the eighth, tossing a scoreless frame to keep it a two-run game. Houston would get a rally going with one out in the bottom of the inning; getting back-to-back singles before an error would bring in a run to make it 5-4, then an RBI single by pinch-hitting Aledmys Diaz to tie the game.

They went on to load the bases, still with one out, setting up another pinch-hitter, Jason Castro, to bring in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk. Jose Altuve added an insurance run with a sac fly, extending the new lead to 7-5 before the inning was over.


Ryne Stanek would come in for the save opportunity in the top of the ninth. He would convert it, retiring the Mariners in order to lock up the win and give Houston the series victory with a chance for the four-game sweep on Thursday. It also improved their record to 13-11, putting them ahead of the Mariners for second place in the division behind the Oakland A's.

Up Next: The finale of this four-game series and homestand will be an afternoon game, starting at 1:10 PM Central on Thursday. Luis Garcia (0-2, 3.00 ERA) will make his third start of the season for the Astros, while Yusei Kikuchi will be on the mound for the Mariners.

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Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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