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The Seattle Mariners will be home to play the Houston Astros Friday night. The Mariners defeated the Texas Rangers 6-2 before the All-Star break to improve to 51-42 this season. Looking at the Astros, they are now 61-32 this year after their two wins versus the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Houston has been great on the road this year, as evidenced by their 31-18 away record. They also have a sizeable 10-game lead in the American League West division over the Mariners as they begin a series with their division foes.
"Sweep tight, Houston." - Astros
Marco Gonzales, who is 5-9 with a 3.50 ERA, will be starting Friday for Seattle. He'll pitch against an Astros offense that ranks #14 in runs per game, but looking at their past seven, they're averaging 3.3 runs per contest. Seattle has won only two of the previous 12 starts with Gonzales on the mound, so they'll want to reverse that trend starting Friday.
Jose Urquidy gets the nod Friday for the Astros, holding an 8-4 record and a 4.09 ERA. This Mariners offense scores the eighth-fewest runs per game, but they've picked it up recently. In their last seven, they're averaging 5.3 runs per contest, and overall they've won 14 in a row.
The Houston right-hander has been poor away from home this year, holding a 5.20 ERA on the road this season. Look for the hot-hitting Mariners to try and pick up where they left off before the break.
Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros Match Details
Fixture: Houston Astros @ Seattle Mariners
Date & Time: Friday, July 22, 10:10 p.m. EDT
Venue: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, Washington
Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros Betting Odds
"#SeaUsRise" - Mariners
Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros Best Picks
Julio Rodriguez had a great first half, earning himself All-Star honors. Now, he'll try to kick off the second half and keep producing. Over the last few weeks, he's been excellent, and he hits better off of righties. Look for the exciting rookie to have a strong performance at the dish on Friday.
Pick: Julio Rodriguez Over 1.5 Total Bases (-125)
Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros Betting Prediction
The Astros have a great team, and on paper, they're stronger than the Mariners. It's hard to ignore the Mariners' 14-game win streak, though. Urquidy struggles on the road, so look for Seattle to lead through at least the first five frames of the series opener.
Prediction: Mariners First 5 Innings ML (+106) & Mariners Team Total Over 3.5 Runs (-130)
