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Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners Preview: Back the Astros with Verlander on the mound
Last night, the Houston Astros ended the Seattle Mariners' 14-game winning streak. Today, they will send Justin Verlander to the mound in an attempt to put two straight losses on Seattle's resume.
The Astros pitching staff has been spectacular this season, ranking second in the MLB in team ERA. The Mariners have also had success, ranking fifth in ERA. If you want betting action on this game, you've come to the right place.
Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.
Houston Astros Preview:
"Gone streaking." - Astros
The Houston Astros have been one of the best teams in the MLB all season long. They sit at 62-32, only a few games behind the Yankees for first place in the American League. Justin Verlander has been amazing this season. He has a 12-3 record this season, with an ERA of 1.89. He will look to shut down this Seattle offense in this matchup.
Verlander hasn't had a whole lot of success against the Mariners this season, so he will look to bounce back. The key to victory for the Astros is to have the offense give Verlander some run support. That way, he can pitch without worrying about making one small mistake. He will be okay with taking risks in the strike zone.
The Astros will look to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker to lead the way tonight. The three have contributed a lot of key hits and runs to the Astros this season, and they will be asked to do the same tonight. Look for the opportunistic Astros offense to cash in with runners in scoring position.
Seattle Mariners Preview:
"That's our All-Star" - Mariners
The Seattle Mariners will send Logan Gilbert to the mound in this contest, and he has had a great season so far. Gilbert has a 10-3 record this season to go along with an ERA of 2.76. The Mariners have had a lot of success in their last 15 games, but they have a poor matchup with Verlander.
The Mariners offense ranks 23rd in the MLB, with a team average of .236. They have been led by Juilo Rodriguez, Jesse Winker, and Eugenio Suarez this year, and will be asked to contribute more tonight. The key to victory for the Seattle Mariners is to find ways to get runners on base and cash them in.
Pick/Predicition: Houston Astros F5 -0.5 (-110)
Justin Verlander has had an amazing season, and Logan Gilbert has struggled in his last few starts. We're going with one of the best teams in the MLB to lead after five innings behind their ace. Let's go Astros!
