In a duel between the Mariners’ Ross Detwiler and the Astros’ Framber Valdez, two pitchers who began the day expecting to start for their Class AAA teams, the Astros proved just a tad better, getting a 3-2 victory as Seattle fell four games behind for the second wild-card spot.
This was not going to be an ordinary baseball game.
That much was clear from the time it was announced that Mariners starter Mike Leake was a late scratch from Tuesday night’s matchup against the Houston Astros because he was feeling ill.
With short-inning relievers getting the starts – Nick Vincent for Seattle and Brad Peacock for Houston – it had all the makings of a strange game.