The Mariners lure fans in with a vision of what could happen: Go 8-1 and win the season series against the Astros

After watching the Astros win the division last night — a division that could have belonged to the Mariners in June with even a semblance of a competent offense — today's game could have felt like an afterthought. To their credit, after battling through five-plus innings against former Mariner Yusei Kikuchi, the Mariners rallied for eight runs, capped the game with two milestones and earned a season-deciding series victory over the Astros : 9-4 against the AL West winners. If Jake were to write this recap, he would list a historical battle that perfectly illustrates “winning the battle vs. winning the war,” leaning heavily on the fact that it is the Mariners who own Yusei Kikuchi our first defeat as an Astro, but we have to admit that all of this is, if anything, cold comfort. One team is heading into the postseason as division champions, and it's not the Mariners, who watched the Astros celebrate another title last night.

The tomcat lineup for the Astros still made George Kirby work, although one could argue that George was working against himself in the first game when he hit Peña, who hit the two-hole today, with a pitch – he would move on stealing second and third – and going to the normally run-shy Jon Singleton, who needs 20 pitches to make it to first. He needed another 20 in the second, although that was due to some bad luck with ground balls that didn't leave the infield.

Meanwhile, the Mariners' offense didn't deal much of a blow to Kirby, making three very quick outs on eight pitches in the third – a disappointing follow-up after the middle of the order hung over 20 on Kikuchi in the second – which sent Kirby right back outside. for the lower part of the third. Again, Kirby got two quick outs on three pitches, only to leave a fastball right into Singleton's happy zone that was just justified for a ground-rule double. Then Kirby compounded his problem by again failing to literally throw away Victor Caratini, who scored the Mariners' first run of the game on a single and made it to second when Cal failed to catch Julio's relay throw. Kirby was able to limit the damage there by getting Heyward out, but that one run loomed large as the Mariners struggled to get anything going against former Mariner Kikuchi.

The Mariners had their biggest scoring threat of the day in the sixth when they loaded the bases with a walk and two hits that didn't leave the infield, but Julio was unable to move runners with two ons and no outs , and Arozarena struck out with the bases loaded, putting Justin Turner in a tough spot. However, the crafty veteran came through, jumping on the first pitch and hitting the first ball that left the infield throughout the inning for a two-run single that gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead. Justin Turner has brought the extreme Carlos Santana vibe of veteran leadership to this club both on and off the field, and when we talk about the needs of this club this offseason, I think that is a role that cannot be ignored should be: the front office has valued good thinkers about baseball (the two Mitches), but it is even more important to have good teachers and good role models: He has a great first-pitch swing of 97 in his hands and drives it into the left corner of field What would a double be for any combination other than Baby's First Ballpark + the oldest position player in baseball?

But wait, Justin Turner wasn't done yet and showed some quick instincts at first base, where he was forced back into the field after mostly retiring to the DH spot with Toronto to start the season. 35-year-old Jason Heyward works hard, but 39-year-old Justin Turner works harder:

It wasn't Kirby's most efficient outing outside of the fourth and fifth rounds, but he ends his season against the Texas teams in impressive fashion, as his season ERA against the Astros is 1.50 (he's even better against the Rangers: 0, 95 ERA). . With the win, Kirby sets a new career high with 14 wins, a new career high with 33 games started and a new career high with 191 innings pitched.

Kikuchi's day was over in the seventh and the Astros called for Shawn Dubin. Mitch Garver gave him a rude greeting and reminded the Mariners' other hitters that the Crawford Boxes work both ways:

JP Crawford didn't go into the eponymous boxes, but he fired a double into the right field corner and then took third after a fall from Heyward, clearly still shaken by the mighty Turner's display of defensive prowess. Dylan Moore was then struck out for the first time in the inning due to some questionable calls, but Victor Robles wreaked havoc again by hitting a ball to Shay Whitcomb – who came in for Alex Bregman and was having a miserable time at third – who hit Whitcomb dropped -line home, allowing JP to score and reach Robles safely. Then he immediately stole second, because of course he did. Things got worse for Whitcomb after that when he bobbled a ball, allowing Julio to reach it, but Cal Raleigh struck out for the second time out of the inning. Arozarena struggled for seven pitches before landing one on third base, and Whitcomb, absolutely reliving the infamous Dylan Moore inning of 2019, made a low throw that a good first baseman probably could have picked, but Jon Singleton wasn't in able to allow Robles to fire home and push the Mariners to their magic number of five runs.

JT Chargois followed with as pretty a shutdown inning as you'll see, retiring Whitcomb, Dubón and Meyers on six pitches, and Collin Snider and Tayler Saucedo combined for a scoreless eighth pitch, although Snider/Sauce had to go around a lead . The offense then rallied to ensure Andrés Muñoz got another day off (Gabe Speier effortlessly took care of the bottom of the ninth), thanks in part to Whitcomb's nightmare game, which continued with a throwing error in the lead that allowed Dylan Allowed Moore to advance to second. Victor Robles then hit him home with a brace – followed by a brief injury scare, which of course came when Peña appeared to step on Robles' injured hand. Luckily, my good teammate Julio said, “Don’t worry about running anymore, buddy, I’ve got you.”

Julio and Bobby Witt Jr. are now the only two players in MLB history to go 20/20 in their first three seasons. And the fact that this came from Hector Neris, now relegated to clean-up duty? Something extra sweet.

It's heartbreaking and, frankly, unacceptable that Mariners fans have to endure so much loss, so much mediocrity from a franchise that has been alternately incompetent, unhappy and unwilling to devote significant resources to victory. Today's win is a symbol of the fans' loving relationship with the team over the years. Sure, they handed Kikuchi his first loss as an Astro – after the Mariners failed to live up to his potential while he was here. Julio takes revenge on Neris in 2023 – but it is Neris who gets to make it to the playoffs, even though he is even relegated to cleanup duty. And Shay Whitcomb may have shown what a difficult decision the Astros have to make when it comes to further straining their finances and offering Alex Bregman an extension – but it's also a reminder that the Astros are spending this season on about $100 million more than the Mariners started in payroll, and despite their old team and slow start to the season, they maintain a stranglehold on the AL West. It's unfair for the players to constantly have to perform in the shadow of the decisions made in the front office, but that pales in comparison to the demand placed on fans year after year, asking them to enjoy the battles and on End of losing the war.