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.
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Expectations
The Texans are favored to win the AFC South for a third straight season with a team led by young stars quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Stroud’s strong first two years helped the Texans turn things around and this year they’ll try to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time in franchise history. Stroud will be directing a new offense led by first-time offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who took over after Bobby Slowik was fired this offseason following Houston’s loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round. General manager Nick Caserio also beefed up the team’s receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, by adding veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third. Coach DeMeco Ryans has vowed the offensive line will be better this season after Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which was second-most in the league. But it’s difficult to see how his protection will be better after they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil and didn’t make any big moves to replace him. Defensively, Anderson should take another step forward in his second year playing with veteran Danielle Hunter after the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft had 17 sacks combined in his first two seasons. Cornerback Derek Stingley returns to lead a talented young secondary after earning first team AP All-Pro honors last season when he had five interceptions and defended 18 passes.
New faces
OC Nick Caley, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jaylin Noel, LT Cam Robinson, RB Nick Chubb, RT Aireontae Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews.
Key losses
LT Laremy Tunsil, WR John Metchie III, G Kenyon Green, TE Brevin Jordan, CB Eric Murray, WR Robert Woods, CB Kris Boyd.
Strengths
Stroud and Houston’s stacked receiving group should be the stars of the team this season. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been great in his first two seasons to bring the Texans back into contention after an awful stretch. His interception rate was up last season but he’s looking for improvement this season in Caley’s offense, which he has described as “exciting.” He’ll have plenty of strong targets to throw to, led by Collins, who had a second straight 1,000-yard season last year despite missing five games with injuries. He’ll be joined by Kirk, who should fill in at the slot with Tank Dell likely to miss all season recovering from an injury he suffered in December. Higgins and Noel come to Houston after combining for 2,377 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns last season at Iowa State.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to see how the offensive line will be improved this season with Tunsil gone to Washington. Though he was penalty-prone, he was the team’s most consistent lineman. They completely revamped the line after his trade and return just one starter from last year’s group. They’ll likely rely on rookie Ersery to protect Stroud’s blind side after taking him in the second round of the draft. He started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota. Veteran Tytus Howard returns at right tackle after starting 16 games there last season. The center is Jake Andrews in his first year in Houston and he returns after missing all of last season with an injury before being released by the Patriots. Left guard Laken Tomlinson and right guard Ed Ingram are also new to the team.
Camp development
Houston’s secondary sustained a big blow in camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a leg injury. The injury isn’t season-ending but he is likely to miss significant time. Gardner-Johnson is in his first year in Houston after he was acquired from the Eagles in March in exchange for left guard Kenyon Green. He was expected to be the team’s starting free safety after the Texans lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jaguars. The Texans will also be without backup Jimmie Ward indefinitely after he was placed on the commissioner exempt list Tuesday as he faces a felony domestic violence charge after a June arrest.
Fantasy player to watch
Collins should have another big year after finishing with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. He’s had 15 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons despite missing seven games with injuries.
BetMGM Sportsbook
Win Super Bowl: 35-1.