Miller pitches 7 shutout innings and Mariners prevent Astros from winning American League West with 6-1 victory
HOUSTON — Bryce Miller pitched seven shutout innings and Julio Rodriguez had three hits and two RBIs to help the Seattle Mariners to a 6-1 victory Monday night over Houston that kept the Astros from clinching the AL West title.
The Astros needed just a win over second-place Seattle to win their fourth straight division crown.
Instead, they struggled against Miller (12-8), managing just two singles while playing without injured slugger Yordan Alvarez.
Seattle has won four of its last five games to move within 1 1/2 games of the American League’s final wild-card spot in a tight race that also includes Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.
The Mariners are four games behind the Astros in the division standings with five games remaining. Houston will have another chance to clinch the American League West when the two teams meet again Tuesday night.
Jon Singleton drew a one-out walk in the second inning and Jeremy Peña’s infield single gave Houston its first two-out hit. Miller cruised through the next innings, retiring 13 consecutive batters before walking Alex Bregman to start the seventh.
Yainer Diaz singled on a grounder to right field and both runners advanced on a Singleton grounder. But Miller then struck out the next two batters to end his night.
Houston starter Hunter Brown (11-9) allowed three hits and one run with eight strikeouts in six innings.
Seattle’s Justin Turner had a hit and an RBI to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 18, the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Cal Raleigh gave the Mariners the lead early with an RBI single in the third.
Turner singled to lead off the seventh inning before a single by JP Crawford drove out reliever Caleb Ferguson. Kaleb Ort took over and walked pinch-hitter Dylan Moore to load the bases.
Rodriguez singled off Turner with two outs to make it 2-0. Moore was thrown out at third base on the play to end the inning.
Raleigh, Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley hit back-to-back singles to load the bases in the top of the eighth inning. A sacrifice fly by Turner made it 3-0, and a double by Jorge Polanco brought home another run.
Houston got its only run on a home run by Jason Heyward in the top of the eighth.
Rodriguez and Arozarena added RBI doubles in the ninth inning to make it 6-1.
TRAINERS’ ROOM
Mariners: Right-handed pitcher Gregory Santos (biceps inflammation) was placed on the 15-day injured list. … Left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Diaz was sent to the team’s spring training complex.
Astros: Alvarez was scheduled to have an MRI Monday after suffering inflammation from a bruise to his right knee while sliding Sunday.
FOLLOWING
The Mariners have not yet announced their starting pitcher for Tuesday night. Left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez (14-7, 2.85 ERA) will pitch for Houston.
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