Even if the Mariners hadn’t fueled their collapse Monday with three costly walks in a disastrous four-run seventh inning, there’s no way to know whether they could have found their way past Houston ace Dallas Keuchel.
Those three walks — two were strategic intentional walks — simply made things easy for Keuchel and the Astros in a 6-2 victory at Safeco Field. It also meant the Mariners wasted another strong start from Erasmo Ramirez.
Keuchel has been erratic in seven previous starts since returning from a seven-week stay on the disabled list because of a pinched nerve in his neck.