3 key factors to watch as Mariners travel to Houston to play the Astros

Dan Wilson's management of his starting pitching

I don't know what it is about Bryan Woo, but it seems like when things go south for him in starts, it goes from great to awful in no time flat. It happened again in the Rangers series as Woo gave up just two hits through five innings while walking none. Then, after getting a flyout to start the 6th, Woo gave up a single, a single, a single, and a homer, and then another walk and single before getting through the inning.

He was only at 60 pitches when he entered the inning, so it's not like he was pitching super deep into the game or on a lot of pitches. Although he might not have his full strength after the recurring injury bugs that have plagued him this season. Should he have been pulled after five innings?

Well, those are going to be the questions that Dan Wilson is going to have to answer against the Astros. Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby are set to throw. He's almost going to have to treat them like playoff games, giving extra thought to whether or not letting his starter get that extra inning is worth it or not. We know those guys can go seven innings, but a late blowup is too much to overcome for this offense.