Lance McCullers Jr. Sidelined, But Jason Alexander Pitched Six Shutout Innings for Houston

Alright, fam, another night, another gut punch for us here in the Emerald City. While our Mariners were taking a 2-1 L to the White Sox, out there in Minneapolis, the Houston Astros managed to squeak by the Minnesota Twins with their own tight 2-1 victory. What is it with these close games? But let's talk about Houston for a minute, because something wild went down on the mound that has us scratching our heads and probably a little annoyed.

The Quick Strike and a Return

Okay, so let's get into what actually happened up in Minnesota. The Astros didn't waste time getting on the scoreboard. Jeremy Pena, back from a lengthy hamstring strain since April 11, smacked a lead-off single in the first inning. Talk about coming back with a bang! That was just the appetizer. Moments later, Isaac Paredes stepped up and absolutely blasted a two-run homer over the left field wall. That's his fifth bomb of the season already, and his second in the last four games. Just like that, Houston was up 2-0, and you gotta admit, that's a quick way to set the tone, even if we hate seeing it from them.

The Pitching Puzzle

Here's where it gets interesting, and honestly, a little concerning for the rest of us in the AL. Houston's scheduled starter, Lance McCullers Jr., was a late scratch due to right shoulder inflammation. Yikes! That's never good news for a guy like him. But guess who stepped in? Right-hander Jason Alexander. And get this: the dude went six scoreless innings! Four hits, one walk, four strikeouts. He literally just got the call, and he shut down the Twins. Zebby Matthews, the Twins' righty, actually had a quality start, giving up just two runs on five hits in his six innings, but still took the loss. It shows you how thin the margins are out there, and how one dude stepping up can make all the difference, even when their ace is down.

A Ninth Inning Nail-Biter (That Shouldn't Have Been)

You'd think after six scoreless from Alexander, and a 2-0 lead, the Astros would cruise, right? Nope. This is baseball, folks, and things got messy. In the eighth, the Twins clawed back a run. Josh Bell hit a hard ground ball to the right side, and wouldn't you know it, Astros second baseman Braden Shewmake booted the ball right into the outfield. Byron Buxton, who had two doubles, scampered home from second. Suddenly it's 2-1. Bryan King came in to stop the bleeding in the eighth, retiring Austin Martin. Then the ninth rolls around, and King gives up a two-out single to Orlando Arcia, just called up from Triple-A St. Paul. Then Bryan Abreu comes in, hits Luke Keaschall with a pitch, and those two runners advance on a wild pitch! Bases loaded, tying run on second, winning run on first, two outs. My heart would be pounding if it wasn't the Astros. But Buxton popped out to third, and Abreu escaped with his third save. Seriously, they almost choked it away after such a strong start.

So, Houston holds on, keeps their series even, and sets up a rubber match for Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, we're left here wondering what's next for our own squad after that tight loss. You gotta keep an eye on these AL teams, especially when their pitching staff starts getting shuffled and new guys step up big. It's early in the season, but every game, every injury, every unexpected performance shapes things. Let's hope our M's can turn things around tomorrow. Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.