It’s win or go home for the Mariners Saturday after getting out-muscled twice in Houston
The Mariners will return to Seattle for Game 3 of their best-of-five American League Division Series against rival Houston needing a win to keep this postseason run going.
Following a deflating walk-off loss to the Astros in Tuesday’s series-opener at Minute Maid Park, Seattle lost again Thursday afternoon, dropping a 4-2 loss in Houston as the AL West champions took a 2-0 lead in the series.
For the second consecutive game, it was Yordan Alvarez that delivered the winning swing for Houston.
The Mariners led, 2-1, in the sixth, and starter Luis Castillo was moving along quickly before Jeremy Pena dropped a two-out, bloop base hit into shallow center.
Two pitches later, Alvarez jumped on a sinker from Castillo, and sent it 371 feet over the wall in left to give the Astros the decisive advantage.
Castillo had retired eight consecutive batters — and 17 of the first 19 he faced — before Pena’s two-out single.
Houston took the game’s first lead on a towering Kyle Tucker solo home run to right in the second, but Castillo otherwise kept Houston’s offense in check, allowing only the home run and a leadoff double to Pena in the fourth before the Astros took the lead back for good in the sixth.
Castillo tossed seven quality innings in an eventual loss, allowing the three runs on five hits while striking out seven on 104 pitches.
Seattle’s offense managed only two runs on five hits, taking a brief 2-1 lead in the fourth, and stranded nine runners on base in several squandered scoring opportunities.
J.P. Crawford recorded Seattle’s first hit of the afternoon off Astros starter Framber Valdez in the third, sending a two-out double off the scoreboard in left after Valdez retired the first eight Mariners batters in order. Valdez got an inning-ending groundout from Julio Rodriguez moments later, when Jose Altuve fielded the ground ball in shallow center and made a quick off-balance throw to beat Rodriguez to first.
The Mariners took their only lead of the game in the fourth. Eugenio Suarez drew a walk and Mitch Haniger doubled down the third base line to give Seattle runners on second and third with one out.
Carlos Santana then hit a soft grounder to the left side of the infield, which Valdez fielded and immediately turned toward home in an attempt to throw out Suarez. The throw was wide, and Suarez dove across the plate to tie the game at 1-1.
Haniger advanced to third on the play, while Santana was eventually caught in a rundown between first and second for the second out of the inning.
Moments later, though, Dylan Moore singled to right to score Haniger and give Seattle a 2-1 lead, which held until Alvarez’s home run.
The Mariners loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth on a walk from Haniger, double from Santana and walk from Moore, which ended Valdez’s outing, but Hector Neris ended the inning the next at-bat, getting a groundout from Cal Raleigh.
Valdez tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowing the two runs (one earned) on four hits and striking out six while walking three on 92 pitches.
Crawford and Ty France both reached on walks against Houston’s bullpen in the seventh, but both were stranded.
The Mariners brought the go-ahead run to the plate twice in the eighth following a one-out walk from Santana, but a long fly out from pinch hitter Jarred Kelenic was caught just short of the wall on the warning track in right, and Raleigh struck out looking.
Alex Bregman extended the Astros’ lead to 4-2 with two outs in the eighth, singling to right on the first pitch he saw from Mariners reliever Andres Munoz. Jeremy Pena, who walked two at-bats earlier and advanced to second on an intentional walk to Alvarez, scored on the play.
Adam Frazier drew a four-pitch walk against Houston closer Ryan Pressly to lead off the ninth for the Mariners, but Crawford lined out Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel moments later, and Frazier was doubled up on the play.
Rodriguez then hit a two-out double to the gap in left center, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Pressly struck out France swinging to end the game.
Game 3 is set for 1:07 p.m. Pacific on Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
The Mariners need a win at T-Mobile Park to keep their postseason run going. The Astros can sweep the series with a win.
Read all of the live updates from the Mariners’ Game 2 loss below:
Update, 3:55 p.m. — The Astros edged the Mariners, 4-2, in Game 2 of the best-of-five American League Division Series on Thursday afternoon at Minute Maid Park in Houston to take a 2-0 lead in the series. For the second consecutive game, Yordan Alvarez homered — this time with two outs in the sixth — to give the Astros the decisive lead. Game 3 is set for 1:07 p.m. Pacific on Saturday afternoon at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The Mariners need a win to keep their postseason run going, while the Astros can sweep the series and move on to the AL Championship Series with a win.
Update, 3:39 p.m. — Alex Bregman has extended Houston’s lead to 4-2 with two outs in the eighth on a single to right off Mariners reliever Andres Munoz. Jeremy Pena walked and Yordan Alvarez was intentionally walked ahead of Bregman.
Update, 3:31 p.m. — The Mariners will go to the bullpen in the eighth, bringing in right-hander Andres Munoz in relief. Seattle starter Luis Castillo tossed seven quality innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out seven on 104 pitches.
Update, 2:38 p.m. — Yordan Alvarez has the Astros back in front with an opposite-field, two-run home run in the sixth. Alvarez launched a sinker from Luis Castillo on the second pitch he saw during that at-bat well over the wall in left. Jeremy Pena reached on a bloop single that dropped between Mariners second baseman Adam Frazier and center fielder Julio Rodriguez moments earlier, and also scored on the play. Houston leads, 3-2.
Update, 2:29 p.m. — The Mariners loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Astros reliever Hector Neris got the final out on a Cal Raleigh groundout. The final line on Houston starter Framber Valdez — 5 2/3 innings, two runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks and six strikeouts on 92 pitches.
Update, 2:24 p.m. — The Astros are headed to the bullpen in the sixth. Houston starter Framber Valdez leaves the game with two outs in the inning and the bases loaded. Mitch Haniger (walk), Carlos Santana (double) and Dylan Moore (walk) are on base. Right-hander Hector Neris will enter the game in relief for Houston.
Update, 1:41 p.m. — Dylan Moore has given the Mariners the lead on a single to right that scored Mitch Haniger. Seattle leads, 2-1, with two outs in the fourth.
Update, 1:39 p.m. — The Mariners have evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth. Eugenio Suarez walked with one out, and advanced to third on a Mitch Haniger double down the third base line. Suarez then scored on a Carlos Santana fielder’s choice. Santana bounced a ground ball back to Astros starter Framber Valdez, and Valdez attempted to throw out Suarez at home, but Suarez scored on the wide throw to make it 1-1. Haniger advanced to third on the play, while Santana was eventually caught in a rundown between first and second.
Update, 1:15 p.m. — J.P. Crawford has Seattle’s first hit of the afternoon on an opposite-field double off the scoreboard in left with two outs in the third. Astros starter Framber Valdez had retired the first eight Mariners batters in order before Crawford’s double.
Update, 1:08 p.m. — The Astros are on the board first in Game 2. Kyle Tucker hit a towering solo home run to right with one out in the second to give Houston an early 1-0 lead.
Update, 12:53 p.m. — Both Astros starter Framber Valdez and Mariners starter Luis Castillo recorded 1-2-3 innings in the first.
Update, 12:30 p.m. — First pitch is coming up in Houston. Here’s a look at both the Mariners and Astros starting lineups:
Game 2 preview — The Mariners will look to even their best-of-five American League Division Series against the Astros on Thursday afternoon following a stunning walk-off loss in Tuesday’s series-opener.
Seattle took an early lead in the first inning in Game 1, led the AL West champions by as many as four runs, and held on until Yordan Alvarez crushed a three-run, walk-off blast to lift Houston to an 8-7 win at Minute Maid Park.
How will the Mariners respond Thursday afternoon in Houston?
Seattle will start right-hander Luis Castillo — who paced the club to its first postseason win since 2001 in last week’s wild-card opener against the Blue Jays — in Game 2.
Castillo finished 8-6 with a 2.99 ERA in 25 starts during the regular season — spending the first half with Cincinnati before being acquired by the Mariners ahead of the trade deadline in late July — striking out 167 while walking 45 in 150 1/3 innings.
Last Friday in Toronto, he tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five, and set the tone in an eventual 4-0 shutout. Seattle swept the best-of-three series against the Blue Jays in two games.
Castillo did not pitch against Houston during the regular season — Seattle’s final game against the Astros was July 31, before Castillo was activated by the club.
Castillo has appeared against the Astros once in his career, tossing six quality innings and earning a win in a start against Houston while with the Reds in 2019.
Left-hander Framber Valdez, who finished 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA in 31 starts during the regular season, and was named to the AL All-Star team, is set to start for Houston.
Valdez threw three complete games and one shutout during the regular season, and struck out 194 batters while walking 67 across 201 1/3 innings.
In two starts against the Mariners in July, Valdez tossed back-to-back quality outings, earning one win. He is 5-0 with a 1.94 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) against the Mariners.
Valdez, in his fifth season in the majors, has a 4-2 record and 4.53 ERA in nine postseason appearances during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
First pitch is set for 12:37 p.m. Pacific from Minute Maid Park.
Follow along with us all afternoon for live updates from Thursday’s second game of the series.
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 12:00 PM with the headline "It’s win or go home for the Mariners Saturday after getting out-muscled twice in Houston."
