Seattle Mariners Drop Finale, Split Series With Houston Astros

Houston Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel won his fourth consecutive start by holding the Seattle Mariners to a one run, four-hit game. 

The Mariners manufactured their one run in the second inning when Mike Zunino and Michael Saunders hit back-to-back two-out singles, followed by Cole Gillespie‘s swinging bunt down the third-base line.

Keuchel fielded the ball cleanly, but threw wide of first base and into right field as Zunino came around to score. 

Keuchel eased through the Mariners lineup which has struggled significantly in scoring runs at home this season. 

He retired 14 in a row until Kyle Seager broke his rhythm with a single to right field with one out in the seventh.

His complete game helped Houston split a four-game series and drop Seattle to 24-25 on the season.

Keucehl finished the afternoon with six strikeouts, four hits, and no walks he pitched a great game improving 6-2 on the season.

Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma has been quite vulnerable to giving up home runs this season and so again today.

Iwakuma gave up a long ball to both Astros right fielder George Springer and also first baseman Marc Krauss who each hit two-run homers.

Iwakuma allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking none in his first loss of the season. He threw 94 pitches, 66 for strikes and two home run balls which costed Seattle the game.

Two of the Mariners’ hottest hitters struggled this afternoon. James Jones went 0-for-4, snapping a 14-game hitting streak and Robinson Cano went 0-for-4, ending his run of reaching base in 31 consecutive games.

When the two star hitters of the team struggle like this it is difficult to create any spark in the lineup and that is exactly what happened today.