Scott Feldman (2-2, 4.81 ERA) and the Houston Astros (14-7) meet James Paxton (0-2, 6.86 ERA) and the Seattle Mariners (10-11) in the first of a four-game division series at Minute Maid Park. The Astros enter this series on a six-game winning streak. The game gets underway at 8:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 30 and will air on ROOT-NW and ROOT-SW.
Feldman has a 4.34 ERA and a 5-6 record in his career against the Mariners, and is up against a less-than-stellar Seattle offense that’s hitting just .235 on the year. Jake Marisnick (.389, 12 Rs, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs, 8 SBs) played well again yesterday, going 2 for 4 with two runs, one RBI, and two stolen bases. The Mariners were unsuccessful the last time Paxton pitched. He tossed, going 4.2 innings, allowing one, striking out seven and walking three in an 8-5 loss to the Twins. Nelson Cruz (.337, 14 Rs, 10 HRs, 22 RBIs, 1 SB) has been doing well offensively for the Mariners, going 2 for 4 yesterday with two runs, one home run, and one RBI.
Houston, a -116 favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Seattle. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is eight runs. The Astros are 4-3 as the favorite and have an overall money line of +821. They are 9-1 SU and perfect as the favorite (1-0) in their last 10 games. The most recent 10-game stretch for the Astros has gone great. Over that span, Houston is averaging 6.7 runs per game, well over their season average of 4.7. The Astros are a power hitting team with an MLB-best 29 home runs. The Astros are a nightmare for opponents on the bases with an MLB-high 28 steals. Houston’s pitching staff can be considered one of the best in the AL. The Astros have a team ERA of 3.21, one of the lowest in their league. The Astros don’t allow many hitters to get on base, leading the league with a 1.04 WHIP.
On the other side, the Mariners have a subpar record of 2-3 when they are the underdog and are -512 overall with the money line. Over the last 10 games, they were unbeaten as the underdog with a perfect 1-0 record and 6-4 SU. They also have some of the most overpowering arms in the AL with an average of 8.2 strikeouts per game.
The Astros are 2-1 against the Mariners this season. This game will feature Paxton (LHP) on the mound against the Astros, who have a 5-2 record when they take on a left-handed starter. Taking the hill against the Mariners will be the right-hander Feldman. They sport a 7-7 record against righties.
Predictions: SU Winner – HOU, O/U – Over
Notes
Houston recorded at least two errors for the third time this season.
When the Astros play into extra innings, they have a 2-0 record. The Mariners are 2-2 when their games exceed nine innings.
The Mariners are coming into this game after allowing one walk during their last outing. The Astros have a 1-1 record when opponents give up that many walks or fewer.
When they outhit their opponents, the Astros are 9-4. The Mariners have a 5-2 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 23rd, Seattle sits near the bottom of the league in runs, scoring 77 this season. Houston ranks in the top 10 at ninth with 100.
Ranking 23rd, Seattle is near the bottom of the league in walks, notching 55 this season. Houston ranks in the top five at third with 81.
The Astros are 11-5 when they hit at least one home run. The Mariners perform similarly when they hit one or more homers with a 9-6 record.
