"Putting on a defensive clinic", "Best 2nd baseman in baseball" - Houston Astros fans amazed by unbelievable Jeter-esque throw by Jose Altuve to rob Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez of a base hit

Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros made an unbelievable play to rob the Seattle Mariners' rookie All-Star, Julio Rodriguez, of a base hit. Altuve channeled his inner Derek Jeter, copying the legend's famous jump throw.

With two outs and a man on second, Rodriguez drilled the ball past the pitcher's mound to the other side of second base. Jose Altuve backhanded the grounder and quickly threw it to first to rob Rodriguez. The play was incredible given how fast Julio Rodriguez is.

Altuve saved a potential run from scoring and got the Astros out of the inning. Given how important each run is in the postseason, this play could end up saving the game for Houston.

The play had fans going out of their minds. They're used to Altuve doing incredible things with his bat, not so much with his arm.

Some fans believe this play solidifies him as the best second baseman in the league. Altuve has definitely been paying like that this year. He had a .300 batting average in the rauglar season that ranked him 11th in all of baseball.

Other fans mentioned how much they enjoyed the reaction from Julio Rodriguez. He looks like he's out there having the time of his life no matter the situation. Rodriguez won't let the seriousness of the postseason stop him from having fun out there.

A Houston Astros win in game two could spell disaster for the Seattle Mariners

The Houston Astros could put the Seattle Mariners backs up against the wall with a win in game two. They took the win in game one and lead the series 1-0. A win on Thursday would force the Mariners into an elimination game in game three.

With the series heading to Seattle for game three, a win could provide some breathing room for Houston. It will be packed in Seattle and the crowd will be going crazy. It could provide for a tough environment to play in. The series could quickly turn in the favor of the Mariners in Seattle.

Going into Seattle with a series tie could be disastrous for the Astros. They can't let the momentum shift to the Mariners going into game three. They need to keep all the momentum they have and end the series in Seattle.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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