Cold Bats in Seattle: Astros Silenced by Castillo in 6-1 Loss to Mariners

• Mariners ace Luis Castillo pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, striking out seven.
• The Astros' offense was held to just three singles against Castillo.
• A four-run eighth inning by the Mariners, led by J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh, sealed the game.
• Jose Altuve struck out in the third inning with two runners in scoring position, ending Houston's biggest threat.
• Randy Arozarena and Mitch Garver both hit solo home runs for Seattle.

It was a frustrating night in the Pacific Northwest as the Houston Astros' offense went missing in action, falling 6-1 to a red-hot Seattle Mariners team. Mariners ace Luis Castillo was masterful, shutting down the Astros' lineup for nearly seven innings and leaving Houston searching for answers as their division lead shrinks.

The Astros' best scoring chance came in the third inning, but Jose Altuve struck out with two runners in scoring position, a moment that defined a night of offensive frustration.

Castillo's Clinic

From the first pitch, it was clear Luis Castillo had his best stuff. He carved through the Astros' order with precision, holding them completely scoreless over 6 2/3 dominant innings. Houston managed just three singles against him and couldn't string anything together. The pivotal moment came in the third when a couple of runners reached scoring position, only for Jose Altuve to strike out, squandering the team's only real threat. It was a classic case of an ace pitcher putting his team on his back, and the Astros had no answer.

Eighth-Inning Implosion

While the offense struggled, starter Brandon Walter kept the game within reach for most of the night. He was tagged for a solo shot by Randy Arozarena and later another by Mitch Garver, but the game truly slipped away in the eighth inning. The Mariners' offense exploded for four runs, fueled by timely RBI singles from J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh, a sacrifice fly, and even a wild pitch that added insult to injury. Walter (1-3) ultimately took the loss in a game that felt much closer than the final score suggests until that fateful frame.

Still on Top, But The Gap is Closing

Despite the tough two-game skid, let's take a breath: the Astros still sit atop the AL West with a 56-41 record. The problem? The Mariners have now won four straight and are breathing down our necks. Key players like Jeremy Peña, who's been on a tear with a .322 average, and Jose Altuve will need to spark a turnaround quickly. This series has suddenly become a critical test of the team's resilience as the division race heats up.

The beauty of baseball is that there's always tomorrow. The Astros will look to salvage the series and snap this losing streak on Saturday. All eyes will be on Lance McCullers Jr. as he takes the mound. It's a massive start for the veteran, who is looking to find his form and play the role of stopper against Seattle's Logan Evans. A strong outing from him could be just what the team needs to get back on track.