Resilient Astros intent on 'finding a way'; Mariners up next

With their 2-1 comeback victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, the Houston Astros secured a split of a six-game road trip and maintained their tenuous position atop the American League West.

The Astros will look to win again on Friday night when they begin a crucial nine-game homestand with the first of three contests against the division-rival Seattle Mariners.

Houston is just 6-5 since moving into first place on July 31, and while the team has struggled to create a gap over second-place Texas, the Astros have found the gumption when sorely needed.

"No quit in this team," Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell said. "It's nine-inning baseball with this team. We're locked in all nine, and we're making sure we're prepared every single day. Finding a way."

All nine games of the pending homestand will be against AL West competition, with the Los Angeles Angels and Athletics following the Mariners to Houston. It marks a golden opportunity for the Astros to tighten their grip on their division lead.

"It's going to be competition this next homestand," Trammell said. "We're looking forward to it. The guys are prepared."

Peter Lambert (8-6, 3.09 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Astros on Friday.

Lambert suffered his first loss in seven starts on Saturday against the San Diego Padres after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts over five innings in a 3-2 road setback. Lambert had been 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA over his previous 13 starts, with 73 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings.

He is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in two career starts against the Mariners. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven innings in a 3-1 loss to Seattle on May 11.

Right-hander George Kirby (8-9, 3.68 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Mariners on Friday.

Kirby surrendered one run on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts over five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays last Saturday, but he did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 loss.

Kirby is 6-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career starts against the Astros, including a 2-0 mark and a 2.13 ERA in two starts this season. He earned a 3-1 road win over Houston on May 11 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across five innings.

Seattle rookie shortstop Colt Emerson was not in the starting lineup on Thursday in the Mariners' 1-0 road win over the New York Yankees, a victory that snapped a six-game skid. After hitting .200 with 11 strikeouts in the previous homestand, Emerson was 0-for-7 with six strikeouts on the current road trip.

Emerson (.190 batting average with eight homers and 23 RBIs) was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on May 17 and, at 20 years and 301 days old, became the youngest player to debut for the Mariners since Felix Hernandez in 2005. He signed an eight-year, $95 million contract extension through 2033.

"As a hitter, when you go through tougher times, sometimes you want to swing your way out of it, and that gets you to chase a little bit more," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Emerson. "So then you have to rein it in. I don't think you want to get too selective to where you're getting too passive at the plate either. So you just have to strike that balance."

--Field Level Media