EUGENIO SUAREZ

Yordan Alvarez 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 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.

Yordan Alvarez smashed a game-ending, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning off Robbie Ray, wrecking Seattle’s strategy of using a Cy Young Award winner in a rare relief role and vaulting the Houston Astros over the Mariners 8-7 in their playoff opener.

The Seattle Mariners brought in Luis Castillo to be an anchor in October, and he lived up to that billing in Seattle's first postseason game since 2001.

There’s a whole lot riding on Alek Manoah’s first career playoff start, but the Toronto Blue Jays All-Star right-hander isn’t the least bit fazed about facing the Seattle Mariners in Friday’s wild-card opener.

Victor Reyes opened the 10th as Detroit's automatic runner on second and Torrens allowed two deep flyouts, with the second by Riley Greene scoring Reyes with the go-ahead run. Jarred Kelenic followed with a base hit to advance Santana to third and Toro hit a fly ball that was deep enough for Santana to score from third base. The win put Seattle on the cusp of locking up the No. UP NEXTTigers: RHP Will Vest is expected to start the second game as a bullpen day for the Tigers. Mariners: LHP Justus Sheffield will start the second game after being added as one of the extra players for the doubleheader.

Abraham Toro homered and drove in four runs, Cal Raleigh hit his 27th long ball of the season and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 9-6 to complete a sweep of their doubleheader.

Atlanta finally passed the New York Mets this past week.

Cal Raleigh homered twice, Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker each hit a two-run shot, and the Seattle Mariners overcame Shohei Ohtani’s four-hit performance to complete a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with an 11-7 victory.

Carlos Santana snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a go-ahead two-run homer during Seattle’s three-run seventh inning, and the Mariners rallied to beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-3.

Ty France hit a two-run homer in the third inning, George Kirby pitched six solid innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 to open a doubleheader.

Mariners Nationals Baseball Seattle Mariners' Eugenio Suarez reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Eugenio Suárez smacked a three-run homer, Chris Flexen pitched six solid innings to win his fourth straight start and the Seattle Mariners got their ninth straight win by beating the Washington Nationals 6-4 on Wednesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. The surging Mariners have won 17 of 20 for the first time since April 2-23, 2002. The Nationals, who have lost five straight and 11 of 12, also saw production from Keibert Ruiz, who had a double and a single. UP NEXTMariners: LHP Tommy Milone (0-1, 3.60 ERA) makes his first start of the season in Game 2 of the twinbill.

Mariners Astros Baseball Houston Astros relief pitcher Hector Neris, reacts on the mound after being ejected for throwing at the head of Seattle Mariners batter Eugenio Suarez during the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 6, 2022, in Houston. The ejection happened on the next batter after Neris hit Seattle Mariners' Ty France, causing both dugouts to empty with ejections on both teams. Neris and Baker were also fined undisclosed amounts, MLB Senior Vice President for On-field Operations Michael Hill announced Tuesday. Servais and Baker pushed and shoved, while Servais pointed repeatedly at López, the Astros' first base coach. Neris then threw a pitch behind the head of Eugenio Suarez, leading to automatic ejections for Neris and Baker.

Astros pitcher Héctor Neris was suspended four games and Houston manager Dusty Baker was banned one game by Major League Baseball after both were ejected from a game against Seattle in which Neris plunked one hitter and nearly hit another in the head.

Major League Baseball and the players' association agreed to that provision as part of the agreement that ended the lockout. Nineteen additional players remaining eligible for arbitration, with hearings scheduled through June 24. Players and teams usually exchange proposed arbitration salaries in mid-January and argue cases during the first three weeks of February. Teams won five of nine hearings last year and have a 325-247 advantage since arbitration started in 1974. Among approximately 200 players eligible for arbitration at the end of the lockout, the vast majority reached negotiated agreements.

Adam Frazier and the Seattle Mariners argued the first of this year’s delayed salary arbitration cases, with the second baseman/outfielder asking for a raise from $4.3 million to $8 million and the team arguing for $6.7 million.

Many familiar faces with impressive resumes are in new places following one of major league baseball’s wildest free agent frenzies.

Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos combined to drive in nine runs to propel the Cincinnati Reds to a 13-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the make up of Wednesday’s rain out with fading hopes of a playoff entry.

Rookie Max Schrock went 5 for 5 with a home run while giving All-Star Joey Votto a break, leading fellow newcomer Vladimir Gutierrez and the Cincinnati Reds over the New York Mets 7-1.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA – The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves are playing the longest scoreless game in postseason history. Wednesday's opening game of the NL wild-card series was the first in postseason history to be scoreless through 11 innings. The scoreless streak was extended through 12 innings. The teams combined for a postseason record 35 strikeouts through 12 innings, and every batter that has come to the plate has struck out at least once after the Reds' Nick Castellanos became strikeout victim No. For the postseason, baseball has set aside the new extra-innings rule it instituted for the pandemic-delayed regular season.