Astros at Mariners
The Houston Astros reside in first place in the American League West and
will have to slow down red-hot Nelson Cruz to stay there as they begin a
three-game road series against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Cruz hit two
more homers and drove in five runs as the Mariners rallied for an 11-10
victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday and has smacked eight homers
during an eight-game hitting streak.
Cruz was added as an offseason free-agent signing to spruce up the Seattle offense and he has done so while becoming the first player to hit eight homers in a team’s first 12 games since Alex Rodriguez in 2007. He is 16-for-33 with 14 RBIs during his hot streak and delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth as the Mariners recovered from a five-run deficit. Houston posted a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels to win twice in the three-game set. The Astros are starting a nine-game road trip that also calls for three games apiece in Oakland and San Diego.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston, Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Asher Wojciechowski (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 6.55)
The 26-year-old Wojciechowski is making his second major-league start and lasted just four-plus innings in his first one against Cleveland on April 9. He gave up four runs and eight hits in that loss but bounced back with four innings of scoreless relief against Oakland four days later before being briefly optioned to Triple-A Fresno and getting recalled when Brad Peacock (intercostal strain) went on the disabled list. Wojciechowski was a first-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010 and was traded to the Astros’ organization during the 2012 campaign.
Iwakuma struggled through his first two outings by giving up four earned runs in each. He has allowed 15 hits and three walks in 11 innings and has served up three homers. Iwakuma is 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA in nine career starts against Houston.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston 2B Jose Altuve is 10-for-25 with five RBIs against Iwakuma.
2 Seattle held a 10-9 series edge in each of the past two seasons.
3. Astros 1B Chris Carter has 11 career homers – including four last season – against Seattle.