Astros win bullpens battle in Seattle — Tucker & Meyers were key on offense
What followed for both AL West rivals was a fire-spitting reliever battle. This time, Paul Maton, Ryne Stanek & Ryan Pressly were almost untouchable.
In no-home run games, the Astros were 16-23 this season before entering T-Mobile Park on Monday night.
So… score another success, which is helping to oxygenate the inefficient .425 average over 40 decisions: This time, speed was the determining factor, coupled with pitching dominance to lead a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.
More nice news for Astros manager Dusty Baker? Yes, definitely! THE ASTROS ARE ALREADY PLAYING ABOVE .500 (15-14) in games decided by a run.
It certainly sounds 'strange' for a contending team leading its Division, but the stumbling blocks that 15-14 mark exhibits are as real as the odds of seeing the Astros compete in October.
Control of work without the most powerful force
Yordan Alvarez opened the score 1-0 with a thunderbolt to center in the first inning — it was his 89th RBI of the year — and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Tucker drove in the second run off right-hander Chris Flexen.
The Mariners discounted with a solo home run by leftfielder José Marmolejos in the end of the second inning off Astros starter Luis García. After the home run, Garcia, who took the mound on Monday wearing the best WAR (2.7) for rookie pitchers in the American League, managed to dominate to keep the game 2-1 for the Astros in the first five innings.
However, a hike from Seager and a single from France were enough cues for Baker to wave his pen. Brooks Raley appeared to contain the Mariners after generating a quick 1-4-4-3 double play, but pinch-hitter Dylan Moore shook the score again against the Astros, hitting a home run that gave Seattle a 3-2 lead.
Bullpen battle...
What followed for both AL West rivals was a fire-spitting reliever battle. This time, Paul Maton, Ryne Stanek, and Ryan Pressly were almost untouchable.
In three innings , Dusty's formula — even without using Yimi Garcia or Kendall Graveman — threw six nine-out strikeouts, allowing no hits against the 12 opponents they faced.
After Ty France's single and Moore's home run in the sixth, the Mariners had no hits for the entire game. The only scoring opportunity they had was due to an error on first throw by shortstop Carlos Correa, but Maton dominated Kyle Seager with a fly to right , leaving J. P. Crawford and Mitch Haniger in scoring position.
A night with the absence of power?: Contact and clutch!
The Astros decided the game at the start of the eighth, taking advantage of speed on the pads. Yuli Gurriel led off with a single off former Astro right-hander, Joe Smith. Gurriel raised his average to .313 — Michael Brantley closed the night with 1-for-5, and fell to .315 — and wasn't content with getting a single base. The leftfielder's return slipped past shortstop Crawford, and Yuli quickly moved to second base.
After three pitches, Yuli Gurriel scored a 3-3 tie on Tucker's RBI single to right . After an out — raised to left by Aledmys Diaz — Tucker stole middle and a cannon shot into leftfield by Jake Meyers gave the Astros the decisive run.
With Monday's success, the Astros are now 9-5 against the Mariners this season, and 4-3 at T-Mobile Park.
Friday's duel:
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (10-4, 3.32) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (7-7, 4.33).
You should just know what… McCullers Jr. is 9-3 with a 2.93 ERA in his career against the Seattle Mariners. That's even more interesting when you know that: He has struck out 110 opponents in 92 innings.
It's the Astros show! Come back soon and stay tuned!
Box Score Summary:
BATTING-ASTROS
2B - K. Tucker (27), M. Maldonado (10)
SF - K. Tucker (5)
RBI - Y. Álvarez (89), K. Tucker 2 (73), J. Meyers (16)
Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out - J. Altuve, C. Correa 2 (2), K. Tucker, A. Diaz 3 (3)
BATEO-MARINERS
2B - L. Torrens (12)
HR - J. Marmolejos (4), D. Moore (11)
RBI - J. Marmolejos (10), D. Moore 2 (39)
2-Out RBI - J. Marmolejos, D. Moore 2 (2)
Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out - M. Haniger, K. Seager 2 (2), J. Marmolejos
CORRIDO-ASTROS
SB - K. Tucker (12)
FILDEO-ASTROS
DP - 2 (Correa-Altuve-Gurriel; Raley-Altuve-Gurriel)
E - C. Correa (8), L. García (2)
FILDEO-MARINERS
E - J. Crawford (11)
PITCHEO-ASTROS
Pitches-Strikes - L. Garcia 78-46, B. Raley 11-6, P. Maton 22-14, R. Stanek 18-10, R. Pressly 15-8
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - L. Garcia 7-3, B. Raley 1-1, P. Maton 1-1, R. Pressly 1-1
Batters Faced - L. Garcia 22, B. Raley 3, P. Maton 5, R. Stanek 3, R. Pressly 4
PITCHEO-MARINERS
Pitches-Strikes - C. Flexen 102-65, C. Sadler 15-10, J. Smith 21-14, Y. Ramirez 5-4, S. Doolittle 18-12
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - C. Flexen 6-7, C. Sadler 1-1, J. Smith 2-1, Y. Ramirez 1-0, S. Doolittle 1-0
Batters Faced - C. Flexen 27, C. Sadler 4, J. Smith 4, Y. Ramirez 2, S. Doolittle 4
(Photo: Houston Astros)