This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Bryce Miller stymied the host Houston Astros by logging seven scoreless innings on Monday as the Seattle Mariners gained ground in the American League playoff race with a 6-1 win.
Jorge Polanco, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena each had an RBI double for Seattle (81-76), which closed within 1 1/2 games of the final AL wild-card spot. Cal Raleigh and Justin Turner also supplied RBIs.
Miller (12-8) scattered two hits and two walks while striking out five, including consecutive punchouts with runners on second and third in the seventh to keep the Mariners ahead 2-0.
Troy Taylor worked the eighth and Eduard Bazardo pitched the ninth as Seattle improved to 12-6 since Sept. 4.
Hunter Brown (11-9) was just as stingy as Miller over his six innings for Houston (85-72), which would have clinched its fourth straight AL West title with a win on Monday. The right-hander limited the Mariners to one run on three hits and three walks while fanning eight.
The Astros lead second-place Seattle in the division by four games with five remaining, including two more in this three-game series.
Yordan Alvarez, who leads the Astros with 35 home runs, missed Monday’s game with a right knee bruise he sustained sliding into second base during Houston’s game on Sunday.
Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Alvarez woke up “pretty sore” on Monday and was scheduled for an MRI before the game.
The Mariners struck first in the third inning. Josh Rojas and Victor Robles drew consecutive one-out walks before Raleigh delivered a two-out RBI single.
Rodriguez doubled the lead in the seventh with a two-out, run-scoring single.
Miller retired 13 straight batters before Alex Bregman walked and Yainer Diaz singled to lead off the seventh. Both runners advanced one base on Jon Singleton’s comebacker to Miller, who squandered a potential double play when he puzzlingly looked to third base before getting Singleton out at first.
Miller escaped the jam by fanning Victor Caratini and Jeremy Pena before Seattle tacked on in the eighth. Polanco made it 4-0 with his RBI double after Turner’s sacrifice fly.
Jason Heyward homered off Taylor to lead off the eighth for Houston, which was outhit 13-4.
Rodriguez and Arozarena each added a run-scoring ground-rule double in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
