Yesterday I wrote that the Seattle Mariners had been on a mission for a few weeks already and today I add to my remarks that Julio Rodriguez is at the head of this irresistible commando.
That momentous streak continued yesterday as the Mariners upset the Astros in Houston 10-3.
Single-handedly, Julio Rodriguez is showing the way forward and for four games his stats have been incredible. Yesterday, the center fielder once again produced a remarkable performance by managing to put the ball in a safe place four times.
Casually, Rodriguez becomes the player with the most hits in a four-game streak, with a total of 17. In his last four games, J-Rod is 17 for 22.
And you know what ? Yesterday’s match was the least spectacular of the sequence, Rodriguez collecting only four singles in the process.
Note the offensive contribution of his teammate, Teoscar Hernandez, who drove in two more runs on three hits in five appearances. The day before, Hernandez had also collected three hits.
Thanks to this fifth consecutive victory, the Mariners not only keep a place of best second, but also eat ground at the expense of the Astros for second place in their division.
The Mariners scored six runs and 10 hits against Astros starter Framber Valdez, considered a mainstay in Dusty Baker’s rotation. His record in 2023 is 9-9.
For his part, Logan Gilbert, well spaced eight hits in six innings while giving up two runs to the locals.
This game was also the scene of JosĂ© Altuve’s 2,000th career hit. The controversial little second baseman hit three in five at bats against the Mariners yesterday.
The Mariners’ record against the Astros this season is 7-2 and with only four games left between the two teams, Scott Servais’ men secure the advantage in the event of a tiebreaker at the end of the season.
