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With no margin for error, M's and Astros clash
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 9/26/2016  at  6:08:00 AM
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By Brad Kallet

SEATTLE MARINERS (82-73)

at HOUSTON ASTROS (82-74)

First pitch: Monday, 8:10 p.m. ET
Line: Seattle +110, Houston -120, Total: 8.0

The Mariners and Astros, both of whom can’t afford to lose in the final week of the regular season, kick off a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Coming into the final week of the season, the Astros (82-74) are three games behind the Orioles for the second American League wild-card berth, with the Mariners (82-73) and Tigers between them. The Mariners are 2 1/2 games behind the O’s for the final postseason spot. Needless to say, if these teams hope to make the playoffs they’re going to have to play nearly perfect baseball in the final games. The Mariners took two of three from the Twins this past weekend—they desperately needed a sweep—and the Astros took a huge hit with a series loss to the lowly Angels. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (16-12, 4.04 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) will get the start for the Mariners, and he’ll be opposed by RHP Collin McHugh (12-10, 4.61 ERA, 1.45 WHIP). The Astros have gone 10-6 against the M’s this season, including a 5-2 mark in Houston. Four of those five home games have gone UNDER the total. The Mariners have posted a 40-38 road mark this season, while the Astros have gone 42-36 at home.

2B Robinson Cano (.296, 33 HR, 92 RBI), DH Nelson Cruz (.286, 41 HR, 100 RBI) and 3B Kyle Seager (.279, 29 HR, 96 RBI) have anchored Scott Servais’ offense in 2016. Aside from that trio, no one in Seattle’s lineup has had a particularly strong year. Cano has hit McHugh well, going 10-for-33 against him with two homers, seven RBIs, a double and a triple. Cruz has also had success against the right-hander, going 6-for-18 with a pair of long balls. Iwakuma stymied the Astros in July, allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings for the win. He lost his two previous starts against A.J. Hinch’s club in 2016, however, surrendering eight earned runs in 10 innings. For his career, Iwakuma is 5-6 against Houston with a 3.87 ERA. His team has gone 5-8 in those starts.

As 2B Jose Altuve (.337, 24 HR, 94 RBI, 27 SB) goes, so go the Astros. The pint-sized 26-year-old leads the American League in hitting, and has established himself as one of the premier players in baseball. Despite Altuve’s .337 average, Houston is still second to last in the AL in hitting (.246). SS Carlos Correa (.272, 20 HR, 94 RBI), RF George Springer (.258, 28 HR, 79 RBI) and 1B Marwin Gonzalez (.250, 13 HR, 48 RBI) are talented and have had their moments, but they’ve had largely disappointing years. DH Evan Gattis (.244, 31 HR, 69 RBI) leads the club in homers. Altuve (15-for-35 with 1 HR, 6 2B, 7 RBI) has absolutely crushed Iwakuma, as has Gonzalez (10-for-22 with 1 HR and 2 2B). McHugh has been utterly brilliant against the Mariners in 2016, going 4-0 against them in four starts and allowing just three earned runs in 25 innings. In his last two starts against Seattle (13 IP), in July and September, he didn’t give up a single run. For his career, McHugh is 9-3 against the Mariners with a 3.96 ERA.


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