Seattle Mariners (44-52) at Houston Astros (33-62), 6:10 p.m. (CT)

Seattle at Houston, 6:10 pm (CT)

TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Mariners SBNation Blog: Lookout Landing

Pitching Match

RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (8-4 / 3.02 ERA / 0.94 WHIP) vs. LHP Erik Bedard (3-6/ 4.61 ERA / 1.53 WHIP)

Preview

The only thing that could top yesterday's game is a Astros win. It won't be easy against Hisashi Iwakum, who has only given two earned runs over 12 innings against the Astros in 2013. But, Iwakum's ERA has been rising month by month, under two in april to over seven runs per nine innings in July. Iwakuma has allowed at least four runs in five of his last six starts. Jose Altvue is batting .400 lifetime against the right-hander with a double and a run batted in. Carlos Pena may only have one hit against the Japanese import, but he has also worked his way to three walks.

Erik Bedard steps in as the number two starter for the Astros after the break, the left-hander has held teams to two runs or less in six of his last ten starts. More importantly, he has lasted at least to the sixth inning in nine of those same starts. The former Mariner made his first start of the season against Seattle, he pitched four scoreless innings. Bedard has kept the current roster of M's players silent throughout his career. Raul Ibanez and Kendrys Morales each have nine at-bats against Bedard with only three hits between them to show for it.