HOUSTON — Yordan Álvarez and his mighty bat did it yet again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 on Thursday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.
Álvarez was the Game 1 hero with his gut-punch, three-run shot off reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the ninth inning that gave the Astros an 8-7 win in a game where they'd trailed by four.
Castillo, acquired from the Reds near the trade deadline and coming off 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball against Toronto in the wild-card round, gave up an early home run to Kyle Tucker but little else as he took a 2-1 lead into the sixth.
But with two outs, Jeremy Peña singled on a blooper that fell in between second baseman Adam Frazier and center fielder Julio Rodríguez. Castillo bent down and slapped his legs in disappointment as he watched the ball drop in shallow center.
That brought up Álvarez, who hit a 98 mph pitch tailing away to the opposite field, into the short porch in left to put the Astros on top 3-2.
Álvarez, who had 37 homers in the regular season, trotted around the bases as cameras panned to his Cuban parents, who are watching their first postseason series after arriving in Houston in August. The lefty pointed to them as he reached the plate before reenacting the powerful swing that has the Astros one win away from their sixth straight AL Championship Series.
There were two outs and a runner on first in the eighth when Seattle had surely seen enough of Álvarez leaving the yard. The Mariners intentionally walked him and Alex Bregman made them pay, adding some insurance when he singled to make it 4-2.
Houston starter Framber Valdez had a solid start, allowing four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He had a different look than he did in his last postseason appearance after he and fellow pitcher Luis Garcia both got hair extensions this season.
Hector Neris got the win after getting the last out of the sixth inning to escape a bases-loaded jam. Bryan Abreu got the first two outs of the seventh before Rafael Montero came in and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Ryan Pressly walked the leadoff batter in the ninth before J.P. Crawford lined into a double play. Rodríguez doubled after that, but Pressly struck out Ty France for the save. The Astros won despite issuing seven walks overall.
The Mariners will head back to Seattle for Game 3 Saturday in a huge hole in the best-of-five series as they host their first playoff game in 21 years.
Álvarez has carried the Astros early in this division series, shouldering such a load that Houston catcher Martín Maldonado asked Alvarez after Game 1 if his back was sore because “you carry us as a team.” The 25-year-old bounced back this postseason after a tough time in last year’s World Series where he batted just .100 with no homers and six strikeouts.
The slugger who's been criticized for poor defense in the past has been making big plays in left field, too.
Álvarez grabbed a sharp liner hit by Eugenio Suarez to end the seventh. In Game 1, he fielded a single by Suarez in the fourth and threw a perfect strike to Maldonado, who tagged out France at the plate.
Castillo yielded five hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
There was one out in the second inning when Tucker hit a slider from Castillo into the seats in right field to put Houston up 1-0.
Crawford doubled with two outs in the third. But second baseman Jose Altuve made a leaping throw after fielding a sharp grounder hit by Rodríguez that just beat him to first base to end the inning.
Suarez walked with one out in the fourth and Mitch Haniger doubled. Carlos Santana then hit a one-hopper that Valdez fielded cleanly toward the third base side, but his throw home was offline for an error that allowed Suarez to tie it at 1-all.
Santana was out on the play after getting caught in a rundown. Haniger scored when Dylan Moore singled to put the Mariners up 2-1.
Valdez walked Haniger on a full count with two outs in the sixth, Santana doubled and Moore drew a walk to load the bases and chase Valdez. Neris took over and retired Cal Raleigh on a groundout to escape the jam.
UP NEXT
Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr., who started just eight games this season after missing the first four months of the year with a forearm strain, will oppose rookie George Kirby in Game 3 in Seattle Saturday. Kirby pitched in relief in Game 2 of the wild-card round and became the first rookie in MLB history to record a postseason season in his first career relief appearance.
Here's a look at the highlights from Game 2:
Game updates
Houston 4, Seattle 2
A two-out Peña walk followed by the intentional walk of Álvarez set Bregman up with a chance to double the Astros' lead. And Bregman delivered with an RBI single to right, giving Houston a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning.
Houston 3, Seattle 2
A Peña single ahead of another Álvarez homer gave the Astros the lead back in the sixth inning.
With the homer, Álvarez became the first player in MLB postseason history to hit multiple go-ahead homers in the sixth inning or later when his team was trailing.
Seattle 2, Houston 1
Valdez walked Suarez with one out in the top of the fourth inning and Haniger followed with a double down the left-field line.
Carlos Santana then hit a weak dribbler on the infield and Valdez tried to get him out at home but threw it away, allowing the Mariners to tie the game and moving Haniger to third. Santana was tagged out after getting in a rundown between first and second base.
Dylan Moore promptly singled to right, scoring Haniger and giving the Mariners a 2-1 lead.
Houston 1, Seattle 0
Tucker homered in the bottom of the second to put the Astros up early.
Game day happenings
Rally nuns in the house
Pre-game festivities
Kaylise Irizarry sang the national anthem and the colors were presented by the Houston Police Department color guard. Former Astros' great Terry Puhl threw out the first pitch and the 'Play Ball' call was made by the Geto Boys -- Scarface and Willie D.
Here on and off the field
Thursday morning, before Game 2 of the ALDS, Álvarez met the fan who caught that game-winning home run. But the Astros slugger did more than just meet Dillon Harrell. Álvarez also signed that home run baseball for him ... and a jersey, too!
Top headlines
Some of the top headlines from the ALDS so far:
- His family surprised him with tickets to Game 1 of the ALDS. He ended up with a souvenir of Astros playoff history
- Who is Houston Astros star Yordan Alvarez?
- Listen to the Spanish-language call of Yordan Alvarez's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the ALDS
- 'Kiss it goodbye!' | Hear the radio call when Yordan Álvarez sent Minute Maid Park into a frenzy