On Friday night, the Astros made some noise with their bats at Minute Maid Park. Behind 15 hits and 11 runs, they defeated the Mariners 11-1 to take the second game of the series. Houston hit four homers, including two from Aledmys Díaz and Yordan Álvarez’s 30th of the season. At the same time, Justin Verlander was brilliant again to keep his Cy Young pace.
What looked like a pitching duel on paper between Verlander and Robbie Ray was exactly the opposite. After Aledmys’ first four-bagger of the night in the second inning, all the Astros did was break Seattle pitchers.