The Houston Astros’ opener of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners served as a microcosm of Houston’s up-and-down season.
The Astros rallied from two different two-run deficits and also squandered a three-run lead before recording a 10-7 walk-off victory in 10 innings on Friday.
Houston took over first place in the American League West on July 31 and, despite some uneven performances since, is positioned to extend its lead atop the division when it hosts the Mariners on Saturday evening.
The win over Seattle on Friday offered a promising start to a nine-game Houston homestand.
“Just continue to play well,” Houston manager Joe Espada said of his team’s goal. “I’m big on the preparation, the consistency with how we go about our work. That’s all I care about is we do that, no matter who we play. … Are we making the adjustments needed? It’s late in the season. Are we getting our rest? Are we recovering well? Those are the things right now that I’m paying attention to.”
Right-hander Hayden Wesneski (2-0, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Astros on Saturday.
He has recorded at least 17 outs in all three of his starts since his return from Tommy John surgery, including allowing three runs on five hits over a season-high seven innings against the San Francisco Giants on Monday. He did not factor into the decision of Houston’s 6-3 victory in 10 innings.
Wesneski has no decisions while posting a 7.56 ERA in two career starts against the Mariners. In his previous appearance against them on April 7, 2025, a 4-3 road loss, he allowed two runs on three hits and notched five strikeouts over seven innings.
Right-hander Emerson Hancock (6-7, 3.35 ERA) has the starting assignment on Saturday for the Mariners, who have lost seven of their past eight games.
Hancock suffered a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday after allowing two runs on nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. That marked his third consecutive loss, with him posting a 4.60 ERA during that span.
Hancock is 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA in three career starts against the Astros. In each of his last two starts against them, Hancock has allowed three runs or less over five-plus innings, including an outing on April 10 in which he allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five innings in a 9-6 victory.
The Mariners are now six games behind the division-leading Astros. Seattle entered the weekend focused on a strong start to the series while attempting to sidestep big-picture conversations and what’s needed to climb back into postseason contention.
“It’s more of just the time of year we’re at right now,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “People start talking about what’s left and looking at series, and you can get lost in that instead of focusing on what’s right in front of you.
“Baseball is a game of what have you done for me lately and right now. (Right now) is where we start, and I think that’s a healthy way to look at things. Simplify. I think it can get very complicated when you start looking out too far.”
–Field Level Media
