The top two teams in the AL West will begin a four-game series on Thursday in Houston. The Mariners will be looking for revenge after being swept in three games at home by the Astros over this past weekend. Houston is 9-6 against Seattle straight-up this season.
This preview was published before the conclusion of Wednesday's action.
The Seattle Mariners ended the first half of the season with a 14-game winning streak, rocketing themselves for a wild card berth. The Astros swept the Mariners after the break, but they bounced back with two wins against the Rangers afterward. 16 wins out of the last 19 games isn't bad at all. The previous six wins for Seattle after Wednesday's competition have now come against the Rangers, and now it's time for a measuring stick series in the Space City.
After missing the first four games since the All-Star break, the home run derby runner-up and rookie of the year favorite, Julio Rodriguez, returned to the lineup on Tuesday and responded with a home run in the first inning. The Mariners still have a 14-game winning streak when Rodriguez is in the lineup.
Tuesday's win over the Rangers was not easy, as Seattle trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. The Mariners tied the game on a Cal Raleigh RBI double and won the game on a Carlos Santana sacrifice fly.
Logan Gilbert (10-4, 2.77 ERA) will start on Thursday. Last Saturday, Gilbert pitched well but was outdueled by Justin Verlander in Seattle's 3-1 loss. The Mariners have still been strong with Gilbert on the mound, winning five of his last six starts. Gilbert has done much of his best work on the road, posting a 6-1 record and 2.42 ERA. In six career outings against Houston, Gilbert is 2-2 with a 4.36 ERA.