Vidal Nuno (1-5, 3.69 ERA) and the Seattle Mariners (74-82) go up against Mike Fiers (7-10, 3.66 ERA) and the Houston Astros (82-74) in the second of a three-game division series at Safeco Field. The Mariners lost the last game 3-2, extending a five-game losing streak. The game gets underway at 10:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sep. 29 and will air on RTNW and RTSW.
In his most recent outing, Nuno pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs and striking out four in an 8-4 loss to the Angels. The Astros were unsuccessful to the Angels 6-5 the last time Fiers pitched. He went 6.2 innings, giving up three runs, striking out three and walking three. Evan Gattis (.245, 64 Rs, 26 HRs, 86 RBIs) has been doing well, going 2 for 4 yesterday.
Seattle is a +132 underdog in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at seven runs. The Mariners are 32-36 as the underdog and have an overall money line of -1,740. They have a 37-33 record SU and are 17-15 as the underdog within their division. The Mariners are a power hitting team with 191 home runs, one of the highest totals in the MLB. Transitioning to the pitching staff, an area where the Mariners are particularly strong is striking batters out, where they average 7.9 K’s per game.
Across the field, the Astros have a record of 52-43 when they are favored and are -410 overall with the money line. Against divisional rivals, they are 36-37 SU and 20-26 as the favorite. Houston is one of the top hitting teams in the league with 501 extra base hits. The Astros have racked up 114 steals on the year, making them one of the most threatening base-running teams in the league. Switching gears to Houston’s pitching staff, they have the lowest ERA in the AL at 3.52. They have a WHIP of 1.20, fourth best in the MLB.
The Astros have mostly come out on top against the Mariners in their previous 16 games this season, earning a 10-6 record. This game will feature Fiers (RHP) on the mound against the Mariners, who have a 52-53 record when they take on a right-handed starter. Taking the hill against the Astros will be the left-hander Nuno. They sport a 29-28 record against southpaws.
Predictions: SU Winner – Hou, O/U – Over
Notes
In their last game, the Astros won by a margin of one run. The Mariners are 27-27 in one-run games. The Astros have a 19-29 record in close games.
Seattle has won 39% (24-38) of its games when leading after 7 innings. However, Houston has won 58% (37-27) of its games when taking a late lead.
Having scored zero runs in their last game, the Astros are going to have to up their game if they want to win this matchup. The Mariners have a 12-0 record in games where opponents scored that many runs.
When they are outhit, the Astros are 14-52. The Mariners have an 18-54 record when opponents outhit them.
Both falling in the top five of the league based on total home runs this season, Seattle ranks fifth with 191 homers and Houston is second with 217.
Ranking 14th, Houston is in the top half of the league in hits, notching 8.29 per game. Seattle ranks in the top 10 at 10th with 8.53.
Ranking 13th, Seattle is in the top half of the league for its on-base plus slugging percentage (.726). Houston ranks in the top 10 at seventh with an OPS of .745.
The Astros are 31-52 when they allow at least one home run. The Mariners perform similarly when they allow one or more homers with a 36-65 record.
