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Game No. 91 Preview: Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners

Astros look for two in a row against the Mariners after the All-Star Break.

By Ryan Dunsmore
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros (49-41) vs. Seattle Mariners (45-45), July 16, 2016, 3:10 PM CDT

TV: Root Sports SW
Online: MLB.TV
Radio: KBME SportsTalk 790 AM, La Nueva 94.1 FM (En Español) 
Mariners SB Nation Blog: Lookout Landing

Pitching Matchup

RHP Lance McCullers (4-3, 3.79 ERA, 1.65 WHIP) vs. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (9-6, 4.25 ERA, 1.34 WHIP)

Preview

The Houston Astros didn't miss a beat in the first game after the All-Star break. The team now turns to its young fireballer Lance McCullers to make it two wins in a row against the Mariners.

McCullers is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two July starts. The one win in July came against the Mariners. McCullers struck out 10 over seven innings and allowed just one run on five hits and one walk. McCullers is 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings in four career starts against the Mariners.

Current Mariners are batting .203 (12x59) against McCullers with a .314 BABIP, 1.88 FIP, 36.9 K%, and a 7.7 BB%. The only Mariner to consistently square up McCullers is, of course, Robinson Cano, he is 5-for-11 in his career.

SEATTLE MARINERS CAREER STATISTICS VS. LANCE MCCULLERS
BATTER AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
Robinson Cano 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.455 0.455 0.455 0.909
Steve Clevenger 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.333 0.333 0.667 1.000
Nelson Cruz 7 1 0 0 0 1 4 5 0.143 0.455 0.143 0.597
Chris Iannetta 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Dae-Ho Lee 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.333 0.333 0.333 0.667
Adam Lind 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Ketel Marte 5 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.200 0.200 0.800 1.000
Leonys Martin 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.333 0.333 1.000 1.333
Kyle Seager 10 3 1 0 0 1 1 2 0.300 0.364 0.400 0.764
Seth Smith 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Jesus Sucre 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Mike Zunino 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Hisashi Iwakuma counters McCullers for the Mariners. Iwakuma is coming off a solid start against the Royals, in which he allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings on July 8. He is 5-2 with a 4.00 ERA in his last seven starts.

Iwakuma is 4-6 with a 4.26 ERA in 12 career starts against Houston. Current Astros are batting .297 (44x148) against Iwakuma with a .345 BABIP, 3.43 FIP, 22.5 K% and a 3.1 BB%. Jose Altuve (.438, 5 2Bs) and Marwin Gonzalez (.526) have had tremendous success against Iwakuma.

HOUSTON ASTROS CAREER STATISTICS VS. HISASHI IWAKUMA
BATTER AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
Jose Altuve 32 14 5 0 1 7 1 2 0.438 0.417 0.688 1.104
Jason Castro 27 5 1 0 0 1 2 8 0.185 0.241 0.222 0.464
Carlos Correa 4 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 0.250 0.500 0.250 0.750
Evan Gattis 7 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0.143 0.125 0.143 0.268
Carlos Gomez 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.250 0.400 0.250 0.650
Marwin Gonzalez 19 10 2 0 1 2 0 4 0.526 0.526 0.789 1.316
Jake Marisnick 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.333 0.333 0.500 0.833
Colby Rasmus 22 4 0 0 1 3 0 6 0.182 0.182 0.318 0.500
Jon Singleton 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.000 0.200 0.000 0.200
George Springer 15 3 1 0 1 2 0 7 0.200 0.200 0.467 0.667
Max Stassi 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.500 0.500 0.500 1.000
Preston Tucker 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Luis Valbuena 11 2 1 0 1 2 0 2 0.182 0.167 0.545 0.712
Tyler White 2 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.000 3.000

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