MARINERS DEFEAT ASTROS
Astros fall flat as Mariners cruise to 6-1 victory
Sep 23, 2024, 10:43 pm
Houston’s offense falters in 6-1 loss to the Mariners. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Bryce Miller threw seven shutout innings and Julio Rodríguez had three hits and two RBIs to help the Seattle Mariners to a 6-1 win Monday night over Houston that prevented the Astros from clinching the AL West title.
The Astros entered needing only a victory over second-place Seattle to secure their fourth straight division crown.
Instead, they struggled against Miller (12-8), managing just two singles while playing without injured slugger Yordan Alvarez.
Seattle has won four of five to move within 1 1/2 games of the final American League wild-card spot in a crowded race that also includes Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.
The Mariners are four games behind the Astros in the division standings with five to play. Houston will have another chance to wrap up the AL West when the teams meet again Tuesday night.
Jon Singleton walked with one out in the second and an infield single by Jeremy Peña gave Houston its first hit with two outs. Miller sailed through the next few innings, retiring the 13 consecutive batters before walking Alex Bregman to start the seventh.
Yainer Diaz singled on a grounder to right field and both runners advanced on a groundout by Singleton. But then Miller struck out the next two hitters to end his night.
Houston starter Hunter Brown (11-9) permitted three hits and a run with eight strikeouts in six innings.
Seattle’s Justin Turner had a hit and an RBI to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 18 games, which is the longest active run in the majors.
Cal Raleigh put the Mariners up early with an RBI single in the third.
Turner singled to open the seventh before a one-out single by J.P. Crawford chased reliever Caleb Ferguson. Kaleb Ort took over and walked pinch-hitter Dylan Moore to load the bases.
Rodríguez singled home Turner with two outs to push the lead to 2-0. Moore was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning.
Raleigh, Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley hit consecutive singles to load the bases to start the eighth. A sacrifice fly by Turner made it 3-0, and a double by Jorge Polanco sent another run home.
Houston got its only run on a homer by Jason Heyward to start the eighth.
Rodríguez and Arozarena added RBI doubles in the ninth to make it 6-1.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Gregory Santos (biceps inflammation) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list. … LHP Jhonathan Díaz was optioned to the team’s spring training complex.
Astros: Alvarez was scheduled to have an MRI on Monday after dealing with inflammation after he bruised his right knee on a slide Sunday.
Update: He has been diagnosed with a sprained knee, and won't play in the Mariners series.
Yordan Alvarez has a right knee sprain. He will not be available this series.
— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) September 24, 2024
UP NEXT
The Mariners hadn’t announced their starter for Tuesday night. LHP Framber Valdez (14-7, 2.85 ERA) will pitch for Houston.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
After riding high from a statement sweep of the Dodgers, the Astros limped into the All-Star break, having lost five of their last six games, including two of three to the rival Rangers. They still hold a five-game lead in the American League West, but the momentum they carried into July has cooled considerably.
While it’s tempting to point to the battered lineup as the reason for Houston’s recent struggles, the more pressing issue has been on the mound. For much of the season, elite pitching has masked an offense operating in the league’s bottom third. But during this six-game slide, the script flipped. Over the last seven days, Houston ranks 24th in team ERA at 5.37. The offense hasn’t been great either, 20th in runs, 22nd in OPS, 23rd in batting average, but those numbers aren’t that far off their season-long identity. The difference is that the pitching has stopped bailing them out.
The good news? Help may be (somewhat) on the way.
Astros GM Dana Brown recently provided updates on three key contributors. Shortstop Jeremy Peña isn’t expected back immediately after the break, but Brown said it shouldn’t be long before he returns from a fractured rib. Yordan Alvarez, meanwhile, is progressing well from his hand injury. According to Brown, Alvarez has “absolutely no pain” and will be re-evaluated Thursday. If cleared to swing, the Astros plan to expedite his return. Center fielder Jake Meyers, however, remains at least three weeks away as he recovers from a calf injury.
On the pitching front, expectations for late-season contributions from Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia remain uncertain. Both pitchers have thrown rehab starts recently in the Florida Complex League. Garcia has now been out for over two years following Tommy John surgery. If he’s not able to return this season, serious questions will need to be asked about his long-term outlook. Javier, also rehabbing from Tommy John, may be an option in August, but expectations should be tempered. As Brown himself has admitted, he tends to be optimistic. Fans would be wise to stay grounded.
Another arm to watch is Spencer Arrighetti. With no major injury (thumb) holding him back, Arrighetti may be Houston’s most viable rotation boost in the second half.
Fortunately, the schedule sets up favorably after the break. Over the next seven series, the Astros face four sub-.500 teams. But that doesn’t mean anything is guaranteed, especially if current trends continue.
Lance McCullers remains an enigma. When he’s locked in, he gives Houston a legitimate No. 3-caliber arm. When he’s off, he’s out of the game early and the bullpen pays the price. Manager Joe Espada faces one of his toughest managing challenges every time McCullers takes the hill.
Cam Smith has cooled off at the plate, hitless in his last 11 at-bats. He’s also been bounced all over the batting order. A simple solution? Plant him in the cleanup spot and let him adjust without the added mental shuffle.
And then there’s Josh Hader. The All-Star closer has surrendered home runs in three of his last four outings. If Houston is going to continue winning tight games with a low-margin offense, Hader has to be lights-out. His dominance alongside a top-tier setup man (Bryan Abreu) has been a pillar of the Astros’ success model this season. They need that foundation to hold.
The Astros aren’t panicking — nor should they. But after a hot run turned lukewarm, the margin for error is shrinking. The second half opens with an opportunity to bank wins and regain rhythm. Whether Houston capitalizes depends on health, consistency, and maybe a little creativity from the front office.
There's so much more to discuss! 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.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!