Houston @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2019 ) Seattle 1, Houston 21

The Houston Astros took the first step toward winning a second World Series title in three years and begin work on the next phase when they visit the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday for the opener of a two-game series. Houston, which has won 16 of 17 contests against Seattle this year, leads the New York Yankees by one-half game in the race for homefield advantage after clinching its third straight American League West title with a 13-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

“We’ve got to take it one step at a time,” Astros shortstop Alex Bregman (career-high 39 home runs) told reporters after Houston completed a 60-21 season at home. “We’ve got a few games left in the regular season, and we want to finish strong. We want our guys to go into the postseason feeling healthy, and I think we’re off to a great start.” Gerrit Cole on Tuesday tries for his 19th victory as he takes the ball for Houston (102-54), which won seven of its last eight and also has the Los Angeles Dodgers (100-56) nipping at its heels for best record. Cole, who is also expected to start Sunday's regular-season finale, is unbeaten in his last 20 outings (14-0) and could join teammate Justin Verlander as a 20-game winner. The Mariners (66-90) have won six of their last eight games, including a 4-2 road trip through Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and begin their final homestand of the season with Justin Dunn making his third career start.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), ROOT Sports Northwest (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (18-5, 2.61 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Justin Dunn (0-0, 6.75)

Cole, whose ERA trails only Verlander (2.53) in the AL, has struck out 10 or more batters in seven straight games after fanning 10 and allowing two runs over eight innings of an 18-5 victory over Texas on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Californian has an eye-popping 202 strikeouts with a 1.87 ERA in 134 2/3 innings during his unbeaten streak. Seattle's Kyle Seager is 1-for-17 with six strikeouts versus Cole, who is 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA and 36 punchouts in 21 innings over three starts against the Mariners this season.

Dunn yielded one hit and three walks with one strikeout in 36 pitches over two innings in Seattle's 4-1 victory at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. The 24-year-old New Yorker made 37 pitches in his debut, walking five and permitting two runs in two-thirds of an inning in the Mariners' 11-5 loss to Cincinnati on Sept. 12. Dunn, who was taken 19th overall in 2016 by the New York Mets and acquired by Seattle in the Robinson Cano blockbuster deal in December, is expected to pitch two or three innings Tuesday and be relieved by left-hander Tommy Milone (4-9, 4.70).

WALK-OFFS

1. Cole leads the majors in strikeouts by 14 over Verlander and needs 12 to break the club record of 313 set by J.R. Richard in 1978.

2. Houston OF Yordan Alvarez has hit 50 home runs this season - 27 with the Astros and 23 with Triple-A Round Rock.

3. The Astros pace the majors in strikeouts and fewest times struck out, and are on the verge of becoming the first team to finish leading in both categories.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Mariners 2