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The Astros capped a challenging stretch of 17 consecutive days of games with a walk-off, 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners that enabled Houston to claim the four-game series between division rivals.

Houston will continue its season-high 10-game homestand against the Athletics on Tuesday following an off day that was sorely needed, particularly for a pitching staff hamstrung by injuries.

The Astros finished 10-7 during the stretch. The day off and reset were welcomed by all.

“We need to stay healthy,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I think that’s the biggest part for me when we go through this long stretch, me and (Astros pitching coach) Josh (Miller) figuring out how to keep these guys healthy, how can we win games.

“We’ve been able to do it, but a lot of baseball is left. Our job is to keep everyone together and continue to move this forward.”

Right-hander Hunter Brown (6-3, 2.04 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Astros on Tuesday. He endured his worst start of the season on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing a season-high five runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over a season-low five innings in an 8-4 loss. Brown had allowed five earned runs combined in his previous four starts, going 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings during that stretch.

Brown is 3-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings over six career starts against the Athletics. In his last start against the Athletics on Sept. 11, 2024, Brown allowed five runs on nine hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over five innings in a 5-4 home loss.

Left-hander JP Sears (4-4, 4.00) has the starting assignment for the Athletics. He is 0-2 with a 5.75 ERA in four starts this month after going 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA over five April starts. He took the 10-5 loss on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels after allowing six runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over five innings. Sears has issued just 10 walks in 54 innings this season, and his average of 1.67 walks per nine innings is the ninth-lowest in the majors.

Sears is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA in 43 2/3 innings over eight career appearances (seven starts) against the Astros. In his prior start against Houston on Sept. 10, 2024, he tossed six scoreless innings and allowed four hits and two walks with one strikeout but did not factor into the decision of a 4-3 loss.

The Athletics snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 5-4 home victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The Athletics executed an unusually large number of transactions over the weekend seeking to snap their skid, and two of the players selected from Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday — first baseman Logan Davidson and catcher Willie MacIver — played parts in the win.

It will take a collective effort mimicking what the Athletics showed on Sunday for them to fully get back on track.

“That is a huge part of us getting out of this is it’s not going to be one guy,” Athletics closer Mason Miller said. “It takes a team effort … to get us into the clubhouse with a win.

“Just the culture we have, the team we have, supporting each other through successes and failures is an important thing to have. For a young team like us, that’s going to be the key.”

–Field Level Media