Astros at Mariners
One season after a middling 176 home runs played a role in the club missing the postseason, the rebuilt Seattle Mariners are enjoying almost unprecedented success with the long ball and doing so with a consistency that has never been seen before. The Mariners also hope to continue the second-best start in the majors since 1987 on Friday when they host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series.
Seattle became the first team ever to homer in each of its first 15 games during Thursday's 7-6, 10-inning triumph at Kansas City, breaking up a shutout bid in the sixth inning with Dee Gordon's first homer of the year and capping off a late rally with another solo shot from Daniel Vogelbach in the 10th. The Mariners have hit a majors-best 36 home runs on the season - more than 20 percent of last year's total - matching the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals for the most through 15 contests while also tying last year's Boston Red Sox for the second-best 15-game start (13-2), one game off the pace set by the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. Houston opened the season in lackluster fashion by dropping five of seven on the road before completing a perfect six-game homestand with an 8-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Jose Altuve got it going offensively during the Astros' first-ever sweep of the Yankees, as four of his five hits during the series left the yard.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Wade Miley (1-1, 2.31 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 4.76)
Miley fell one out short of producing his second consecutive quality start but still got the victory Saturday against Oakland, permitting six baserunners across 5 2/3 scoreless innings. The 32-year-old hasn't struck out more than five batters in any of his last seven regular-season starts, yet he is 4-1 over that span thanks in part to a lack of walks (seven in 34 2/3 frames). Edwin Encarnacion (7-for-15, three homers) has had his way with Miley, who is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three starts against Seattle.
LeBlanc continued to benefit from excellent run support Sunday in Chicago, although he rebounded from an uneven season debut to hold the White Sox to two runs while striking out six over as many innings. The Alabama product has watched his offense score 22 runs in his two outings, including 21 in support of him. Josh Reddick (6-for-13, home run) and Altuve (4-for-8) have enjoyed much success versus LeBlanc, who went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in six appearances (four starts) against Houston in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners OF Mitch Haniger has stepped up in the ninth inning of the last two games, delivering a game-winning solo blast Wednesday and a game-tying two-run triple with two outs and two strikes Thursday.
2. Altuve became only the 11th Astro - and first since Lance Berkman in 2010 - to hit four home runs in a three-game regular-season series with his effort versus the Yankees.
3. Vogelbach is batting .462 with six homers, four doubles and 11 RBIs in the past seven games.