Samuel Deduno (0-0, 2.89 ERA) and Roenis Elias (0-0, 3.18 ERA) take the hill in the second of a four-game series between the Houston Astros (15-7) and the Seattle Mariners (10-12) at Minute Maid Park. The Astros won the last game 3-2, continuing a seven-game winning streak. Action begins at 8:10 p.m. ET on Friday, May. 1 and can be seen on ROOT-NW and ROOT-SW.
Deduno is 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in his appearances against the Mariners, and goes up against a below-average Seattle offense which is batting just .239 this season. Jose Altuve (.367, 13 Rs, 2 HRs, 16 RBIs, 9 SBs) had another good game yesterday, going 3 for 5 with one run, one RBI, and one stolen base. Elias is 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA when pitching against the Astros. He takes on a below-average Houston offense which is hitting just .238 this season. Seth Smith (.283, 7 Rs, 1 HR, 6 RBIs) has been successful at the plate to the start the season, going 2 for 5 yesterday with one run.
The odds for Houston and Seattle are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. Within its division, Houston has a record of 11-5 SU. The Astros have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 6.9 runs during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 4.7 runs per game. The Astros are one of the best in the MLB in terms of home runs with 29. Houston leads the MLB in steals, swiping 29 bases. Turning to the pitchers, opposing offenses have been stifled by the Astros, who have a team ERA of only 3.04. The Astros are the top team in the league at limiting hits and walks to their opponents, recording a WHIP of 1.05 so far this season.
The Mariners are 9-7 against AL West rivals. The Mariners have established a reputation of overwhelming hitters with an AL-best 8.1 strikeouts per game, making them one of the top five teams in the league.
The Astros lead the season series, 3-1. The Astros have a great 6-2 record against left-handed starting pitchers on the year, which is what they’ll be facing when Elias takes the mound. Deduno (RHP) will be on the hill against the Mariners, who have a 7-8 record against right-handed starting pitchers.
Predictions: SU Winner – HOU
Notes
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston’s last 7 games.
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games.
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston’s last 6 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston’s last 7 games when playing Seattle.
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Seattle.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston’s last 10 games when playing at home against Seattle.
The Mariners lost their last game by a one-run margin. In games decided by one run, the Astros are 4-1. The Mariners are 5-3 in close games this season.
The Astros are 3-0 in games that go into extra innings. Meanwhile, the Mariners are 2-3 in such matchups.
The Seattle batters brought in a solid 11 hits last game. Houston has a record of 1-2 when their opponents get that many hits or more.
When they outhit their opponents, the Mariners are 5-3. The Astros have a 9-4 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 24th, Seattle sits near the bottom of the league in runs, scoring 79 this season. Houston ranks in the top 10 at ninth with 103.
Ranking 21st, Seattle is near the bottom of the league in walks, notching 57 this season. Houston ranks in the top five at second with 84.
When the Astros hit at least one home run, they are 11-5, well-matched with the Mariners who are 9-6 when hitting one or more homers.
