Mariners at Astros
Seattle Mariners star Robinson Cano didn't record his 30th RBI last
season until July 9, but he has reached that mark more than two months
sooner this year. Cano drove in four runs in the Mariners' 6-3 victory
over the host Houston Astros on Thursday to take over the major-league
lead and attempts to remain hot when the American League West rivals meet again on Friday.
Cano has recorded five straight multi-hit performances, going 12-for-22 during the stretch. He is 8-for-17 against Houston this season after delivering a tiebreaking three-run double in the top of the ninth inning of the opener to make it nine wins in 11 games for the Mariners, who are 4-0 on their seven-game road trip. Houston had its first two-game winning streak of the season halted despite the hot bat of Jose Altuve, who recorded four hits - including his ninth homer - for the 13th time in his career. "That little second baseman (Altuve) is a pretty good player," Seattle manager Scott Servais told reporters. "It's not a good feeling to see him walking to the plate."
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle, Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. Astros RH Doug Fister (2-3, 4.60)
Walker matched his career high of 11 strikeouts while giving up one run and six hits over seven innings to defeat Houston on April 25. He is 5-1 with a 3.96 ERA in nine career starts against the Astros but is one of several Seattle pitchers to struggle against Altuve (8-for-22, one homer). Walker lost to Kansas City in his last turn, when he gave up three runs (two earned) and seven hits in five innings.
Fister issued a career-high seven walks when he was matched against Walker and lost to his former team in Seattle on April 25. He gave up three runs and four hits in six innings to fall to 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in four career starts versus the Mariners. Fister bounced back to defeat Oakland in his last outing as he gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Altuve has hit six leadoff homers this season - tying the Astros' record set by Hall-of-Famer Craig Biggio in 2006.
2. Seattle 3B Kyle Seager has produced three consecutive two-hit performances and has gone 10-for-25 during his six-game hitting streak to inch his batting average up to .202.
3. Houston recalled LF Jake Marisnick from Triple-A Fresno and optioned RHP Michael Feliz to the same club.