In just one month, the Houston Astros rallied from a 10-game deficit to tie for first place in the AL West. Hunter Brown pitched six innings, allowing four hits but persevering through tough moments. Yainer Diaz’s two-run single was critical to their 3-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Houston manager Joe Espada praised his team’s tenacity, stressing their unwavering effort and belief despite earlier season challenges

Starting with a 7-under.500 record on June 18, the Astros have improved considerably, going 18-6 in their final 24 games. They used a crucial inning against Seattle’s Luis Castillo to catch up in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Mariners, who previously led by ten games, have fallen to 8-16 since then.

Hunter Brown pitches in the 1st inning

Their offensive struggles continued against Houston, as they had scored three runs or fewer in 15 of their previous 24 games.

Despite his early struggles, Brown came through with important outs, including a bases-loaded escape in the third inning. Seattle manager Scott Servais recognized the team’s offensive issues while underlining its efforts to find solutions

Brown completed with six innings, five strikeouts, and three walks. Relief pitchers Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly held the Mariners scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, while Josh Hader recorded his 19th save in the ninth.