Mariners lose a tough one in Game 1 of ALDS against nemesis Houston. Here’s what happened

The Mariners appeared headed to a win in Game 1 of their best-of-five American League Division Series against the Astros on Tuesday afternoon in Houston.

Seattle took an early lead in the first, and held on to it until the ninth, the Astros were down to their final out.

Then Yordan Alvarez stepped up to the plate and launched a 438-foot home run to right to stun the Mariners in the series-opener. The three-run, walk-off blast lifted Houston to an 8-7 win after Seattle led by as many as four runs earlier on.

The Mariners entered the ninth still holding on to a two-run lead, but Seattle right-hander Paul Sewald hit pinch hitter David Hensley with a pitch, and allowed a base hit to Jeremy Pena two batters later to give the Astros a pair of base runners with two outs.

Mariners manager Scott Servais turned to left-handed starter Robbie Ray in the bullpen to face Alvarez as Seattle tried to escape with the final out, but Alvarez crushed the second pitch he saw from Ray for the no-doubt, walk-off winner.

This after the Mariners consistently piled up runs early on to keep the Astros out of reach much of the way.

Seattle’s lineup built an early lead against Justin Verlander, tagging the Astros ace with six runs to end his outing after four innings.

Cal Raleigh picked up his fourth RBI in three career postseason games with a single to right in the first that scored rookie Julio Rodriguez and gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Seattle tacked on three more runs in the second, on a Julio Rodriguez double to right center that scored Adam Frazier and Jarred Kelenic — who opened the inning with back-to-back singles — and a Ty France base hit up the middle that brought Rodriguez home from second to make it 4-0.

Seattle later hit for a reverse cycle as a team against Verlander with two outs in the fourth. J.P. Crawford hit a solo home run, Rodriguez tripled, France doubled to score Rodriguez to extend the lead to 6-2 at that point and Eugenio Suarez singled, though France was thrown out at home on the play to end the inning.

Verlander’s outing was done after that, completing the four innings while allowing the six runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and one walk on 81 pitches.

Meanwhile, Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, in his first career postseason appearance, tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, and striking out five while walking two on 84 pitches.

Gilbert left the game in the sixth carrying a 6-3 lead, and Seattle’s offense and bullpen kept him in line for a win until the final frame.

After Seattle took the early four-run lead, Alvarez cut it to 4-2 with a two-run double in the third that scored Chas McCormick and Jose Altuve.

But, the Mariners responded with their final two runs off Verlander in the fourth.

Yuli Gurriel hit a solo home run off Gilbert in the fourth to make it 6-3, but the Astros didn’t score again until the eighth.

Suarez hit a solo homer to left in the seventh for Seattle to extend the lead back to four runs.

Alex Bregman’s two-run homer to left center in the eighth off Mariners reliever Andres Munoz made it 7-5, but Munoz ended the inning with a strikeout moments later.

In the ninth, though, the Astros completed their late comeback, closing out their Game 1 victory with Alvarez’s second-deck home run.

The series resumes Thursday afternoon in Houston. Right-hander Luis Castillo, who started and earned a win against the Blue Jays in Seattle’s first postseason game in 21 years last week, is scheduled to take the mound for the Mariners again in Game 2. Left-hander Framber Valdez is the Astros’ scheduled starter.

The Mariners are guaranteed their first home playoff game since 2001 in Game 3, which is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. Saturday at T-Mobile Park.

Game 4, if necessary, would be played Sunday in Seattle, while Game 5, if needed, would return to Houston on Monday.

Update, 11:37 a.m. — First pitch is one hour away in Houston. Here’s a look at both the Mariners and Astros starting lineups:

Update, 11:25 a.m. — Here’s a look at both the Mariners and Astros 26-man rosters ahead of the best-of-five American League Division Series:

Update, 11:10 a.m. — Game times have been set for all five games of the Mariners’ best-of-five series against the Astros in the American League Division Series.

Games 1 and 2 are set for 12:37 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday and Thursday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

As announced Tuesday morning, Seattle will host its first playoff game since 2001 in Game 3 of the series at 1:07 p.m. Saturday at T-Mobile Park.

Game 4, if necessary, is scheduled for 12:07 p.m. Sunday in Seattle. Game 5, if necessary, is currently set for 2:07 p.m. Monday in Houston.

Game 1 preview — The Mariners resume their 2022 postseason run Tuesday afternoon in Houston.

They swept the Blue Jays in their best-of-three American League wild-card series last week in Toronto and now begin a best-of-five AL Division Series against their division rivals in the Astros, who won the AL West title this season and entered the playoffs as the league’s top seed.

Game 1 of the series is set for 12:37 p.m. Pacific from Minute Maid Park in Houston.

A familiar opposing pitcher awaits Seattle in the opening game in two-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who is set to start for the Astros.

Houston’s ace led the majors in ERA (1.75) and the AL in wins (finishing 18-4) across 28 starts during the regular season and was named to the All-Star team for the ninth time this summer.

In six starts against the Mariners during the regular season — the most starts he made against any opponent in 2022 — the 39-year-old right-hander posted a 5-1 record and 2.34 ERA across 42 1/3 innings. He faced 165 Mariners batters, allowing 11 runs on 33 hits and striking out 43 while walking six.

Seattle’s only win against Verlander during the regular season was in late May when the Mariners tagged him with six of those runs on 10 hits in a 6-1 win.

Verlander is 21-10 with a 3.09 ERA against the Mariners in his career across 37 starts.

This will be his 33rd postseason appearance. He has a 14-11 record and 3.40 ERA in the playoffs during his career.

Logan Gilbert, in his second season in the majors, is set to make his first career postseason start for Seattle.

A first-round pick by the Mariners in 2018, the 25-year-old right-hander led the club in wins this season, finishing 13-6 with a 3.20 ERA across 32 appearances. Gilbert struck out 174 batters while walking 49.

He made four starts against the Astros during the regular season — tied for his most against a single opponent in 2022 — and finished 2-1 with a 2.52 ERA across 25 innings, allowing seven runs on 21 hits and striking out 22 while walking six.

Gilbert is 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA in seven starts against the Astros during his career. He is 1-1 in his career pitching at Minute Maid Park. His first win inside Houston’s home ballpark was in June.

The Mariners and Astros played 19 times during the regular season, with Houston winning the season series, 12-7, including picking up wins in six of the final seven meetings.

Houston has won the season series against Seattle seven times since joining the AL West in 2013. The Astros have won 112 of the 181 meetings with the Mariners during that 10-season stretch.

Follow along with us all afternoon for live updates from Tuesday’s first game of the series.

Follow the game with live updates from TNT Mariners reporter Tyler Wicke