Mariners beat the AAA Astros 8-1

I don't know if it was wise to throw this game away in the name of “rest” since the WC series starts in six days. I hope it doesn't bite us in the ass.

And they threw the game away. While the Astros' four All-Star players were sidelined, Shae Whitcomb, who came on for Alex Bregman, committed four errors and missed other easy chances. As a team, the Astros made five errors.

Whitcomb's first error cost Yusei Kikuchi a scoreless effort and gave the Mariners a two-to-one lead. Yusei lost his first game as an Astro without allowing an earned run. He became the sixth Japanese pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a season.

Whitcomb's subsequent misses cost low-leverage relievers Shawn Dubin, Caleb Ferguson and Hector Neris most of the remaining runs in the Mariners' 8-1 win.

With a lineup worthy of the historic 2024 White Sox, the Astros were lucky to score even the one run they did.

All I can say is that if the Astros lose the WC Series because of the murder spree of the Mariners' starters, it's because the Mariners have that lifeline to the playoffs.

With an off day tomorrow and three easy weekend games before the WC Series next Tuesday, was Joe Espada really worried that the Astros needed that day off? Or was he afraid of showing grudging respect to the Mariners by trying to keep them from being the Astros' opponent in the Series? If you ask me, there are no good reasons either.

If the Mariners go into the playoffs with their best pitching staff in the league and hit their bats like they have the last two weeks, they could be the all-time Cinderella team of destiny that could make it all the way.

I mean it. The team we saw this week can beat the Astros in a three-game series. They just did it, very practically.

Go to KC. Go to Detroit. Go to Minnesota. Stay ahead of Seattle.

The Astros shouldn't have been so complacent today.