HOUSTON (AP) — Bryce Miller threw seven shutout innings and Julio Rodríguez had three hits and two RBIs to help the Seattle Mariners to a 6-1 win Monday night over Houston that prevented the Astros from clinching the AL West title.
The Astros entered needing only a victory over second-place Seattle to secure their fourth straight division crown.
Instead, they struggled against Miller (12-8), managing just two singles while playing without injured slugger Yordan Alvarez.
Seattle has won four of five to move within 1 1/2 games of the final American League wild-card spot in a crowded race that also includes Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.
The Mariners are four games behind the Astros in the division standings with five to play. Houston will have another chance to wrap up the AL West when the teams meet again Tuesday night.
Jon Singleton walked with one out in the second and an infield single by Jeremy Peña gave Houston its first hit with two outs. Miller sailed through the next few innings, retiring the 13 consecutive batters before walking Alex Bregman to start the seventh.
Yainer Diaz singled on a grounder to right field and both runners advanced on a groundout by Singleton. But then Miller struck out the next two hitters to end his night.
Houston starter Hunter Brown (11-9) permitted three hits and a run with eight strikeouts in six innings.
Seattle’s Justin Turner had a hit and an RBI to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 18 games, which is the longest active run in the majors.
Cal Raleigh put the Mariners up early with an RBI single in the third.
Turner singled to open the seventh before a one-out single by J.P. Crawford chased reliever Caleb Ferguson. Kaleb Ort took over and walked pinch-hitter Dylan Moore to load the bases.
Rodríguez singled home Turner with two outs to push the lead to 2-0. Moore was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning.
Raleigh, Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley hit consecutive singles to load the bases to start the eighth. A sacrifice fly by Turner made it 3-0, and a double by Jorge Polanco sent another run home.
Houston got its only run on a homer by Jason Heyward to start the eighth.
Rodríguez and Arozarena added RBI doubles in the ninth to make it 6-1.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Gregory Santos (biceps inflammation) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list. … LHP Jhonathan Díaz was optioned to the team’s spring training complex.
Astros: Alvarez was scheduled to have an MRI on Monday after dealing with inflammation after he bruised his right knee on a slide Sunday.
UP NEXT
The Mariners hadn’t announced their starter for Tuesday night. LHP Framber Valdez (14-7, 2.85 ERA) will pitch for Houston.
