Astros at Mariners
Gerrit Cole has been sensational in his first three outings with the Houston Astros, but the right-hander has just one win to show for his efforts. Cole looks to continue his hot start when he faces the host Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game series.
Cole, who was acquired from Pittsburgh in mid-January, has struck out 36 batters in 21 innings while allowing just 10 hits and four walks. He is hoping to register his fourth straight 10-strikeout performance and become the first Houston hurler to accomplish the feat since Randy Johnson (1998), who shares the franchise mark of five straight such efforts with J.R. Richard. Brian McCann hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in Tuesday's 4-1 victory as the Astros defeated the Mariners for the seventh time in eight meetings. Seattle's Robinson Cano drilled his first homer of the season and the 302nd of his career, passing Rogers Hornsby for second place on the all-time list for second basemen.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest Plus (Houston), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Mike Leake (2-0, 3.50)
Cole recorded 11 strikeouts in each of his first two starts and then increased the total to a career-best 14 over seven innings of a no-decision against Texas on Friday. The 27-year-old is aiming to bounce back from a poor 2017 season with the Pirates in which he posted a career-worst 4.26 ERA and served up a whopping 31 homers, well above his previous career high of 11. Cole stood out in his lone career outing against Seattle by allowing one run and three hits on July 27, 2016 in his only complete game in 130 major-league starts.
Leake did not factor in the decision against Oakland in his last turn after giving up three runs and seven hits over six innings. The 30-year-old has limited opposing batters to a .221 average in three starts but also has served up three homers. Leake is 6-4 with a 3.29 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts) against the Astros and will try to silence Jose Altuve (5-for-16, one triple, one double).
WALK-OFFS
1. Altuve went 1-for-5 on Tuesday while playing in his 1,000th career game.
2. Seattle batters struck out 14 times on Tuesday and the club has scored just four runs in its last three contests.
3. Houston CF Jake Marisnick is 0-for-13 with 10 strikeouts over his last four appearances after fanning in all four at-bats on Tuesday.