Mariners at Astros
The Houston Astros are in a funk and not even the friendly confines of Minute Maid Park are helping these days as they prepare to host the Seattle Mariners on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. Houston lost its last two games by a combined 24-2 to Pittsburgh, absorbing its first home series loss of the season (9-1-3) and seeing its lead in the American League West shrink to 4 1/2 games over Texas.
The Astros have lost nine of their last 11 games and also saw rookie phenom Yordan Alvarez, who has seven home runs and 18 RBIs in his first 15 major league games, leave Thursday's contest with left knee discomfort on his 22nd birthday. Seattle lost for only the second time in its last eight games with Thursday's 4-2 setback at Milwaukee while averaging 6.8 runs during that span. Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager (hand) missed his second straight game Thursday with manager Scott Servais telling reporters: "For me, there's no reason to rush him back for a day game after a night game. ... We'll see how he is over in Houston. ..." Houston's Wade Miley tries to return to his winning ways Friday after allowing more than three runs for only the second time this season and opposes Tommy Milone, who will follow an opener.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Tommy Milone (1-2, 3.35 ERA) vs. Astros LH Wade Miley (6-4, 3.51)
Milone is expected to follow an opener after doing so in three of his last four outings, going 0-0 with a 2.55 ERA in the three long relief appearances. The 32-year-old California native started Saturday and allowed three runs, four hits and three walks with six strikeouts in five innings of an 8-4 loss to Baltimore. Houston's Jose Altuve is 7-for-23 with a home run and three RBIs against Milone, who is 1-2 with a 5.33 ERA in 10 games (seven starts) against the Astros after yielding one run over 5 1/3 innings and earning a no-decision in an 8-7 loss June 6.
Miley took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before permitting four runs, two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five-plus innings and earning a no-decision in Houston's 7-5 loss at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. The 32-year-old Louisiana native allowed three runs in his previous start - a 3-2 loss at Cincinnati on June 17 - as the seven earned runs mark his most combined in consecutive starts this season. Seattle's Domingo Santana is 5-for-5 with a walk and two RBIs against Miley, who is 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in five starts against the Mariners - 0-0, 6.00 in two turns this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Altuve went 2-for-4 on Thursday and is 11-for-35 in eight games since missing 35 with a hamstring injury.
2. Seattle leadoff hitter OF Mallex Smith and No. 2 batter SS J.P. Crawford were 25-for-61 with 15 RBIs, 18 runs and seven walks in their previous seven games before going 1-for-8 on Thursday.
3. Houston has won six of seven meetings this season - all in Seattle.