Seattle Mariners fans are ready to party like it’s the year 2001.
Los Mariners will host a playoff game for the first time since their record 116-win season when they take on the Houston Astros in the third game of the League division series American on Saturday afternoon.
Being in an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series isn’t expected to dampen his enthusiasm.
“There’s going to be a lot of excitement out there,” rookie outfielder Julio Rodriguez said at a news conference Friday after Mariners will exercise “I can’t wait to get on the field with them in the first postseason game in a long time here. I’m definitely excited about it and I know they’re going to enjoy it.”
Los Astros cruised to an 8-7 victory in the series opener Tuesday, thanks to Yordan Alvarez’s three-run homer off reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Álvarez again hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning off the ace of MarinersLuis Castillo, to take the Astros to a 4-2 victory.
“Certainly, things did not go as we wanted in Houstonbut we also know what the atmosphere is going to be here and we’re very excited about it and looking forward to it,” said manager Mariners, Scott Servais. “We have pieces to do it, there’s no question about it. … The factor that I don’t think is talked about enough, I think it’s going to show up (Saturday) in the first inning, is when there are 45,000 Mariner fans in the stands. pumped up and ready to go and all behind us.
“I’ve already talked about it, when we’ve gotten or ended the drought, how valuable our fans have been to this team. This team really…somehow, we get going when there’s noise here. And I really ask you to everyone who brings it… because we need it”
Los Mariners They’ll also need another big performance from right-hander George Kirby (0-0, 0.00 ERA in postseason; 8-5, 3.39 ERA in regular season), who became the first rookie in major league history to record a save. in the postseason in his first relief appearance when he closed out the wild-card round at Toronto.
Kirby faced the Astros once this season, on July 31 at Houston. With a strict 75-pitch limit, he allowed two runs on four hits in four innings with seven strikeouts and didn’t get a decision in a 3-2 extra-inning loss.
Los Astros are scheduled to start right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (2022 postseason debut; 4-2, 2.27 in the regular season), who made just eight appearances this season — none against the M’s — after missing the first four months with a forearm strain. McCullers is 10-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 18 starts against Seattle.
This will be McCullers’ 17th playoff appearance since 2015.
“There’s something to be said for a guy who’s been there before,” said the manager of Astros Dusty Baker. “So we just hope Lance is sharp and Lance is Lance.”
This will also be the eighth time McCullers has pitched in a game in which the Astros they have the opportunity to close a series.
“I think these are the times you want to be, as a team, as an individual. We put in a lot of effort,” McCullers said. “I think pitching in big games … is an honor, it’s a privilege, it’s something you grow up as a little kid dreaming of doing. So I have no doubt it’s going to be exciting (Saturday). But I’m excited to feel energy and go out and give everything”
— Field Level Media
Houston Astros
Seattle Mariners
