Mariners chase Astros’ Justin Verlander in Game 1: By the numbers

HOUSTON — It didn’t take long for the Seattle Mariners to show they were going to be trouble for Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros on Tuesday in the opening game of the American League Division Series.

American League Rookie of the Year front-runner Julio Rodriguez drew a walk from Verlander to open the game, showing that the Seattle Mariners had a strategy to work up Verlander’s pitch count in hopes of knocking him out early.

With patience at the plate and an early offensive attack that paid big dividends, Seattle did just that.

“They had a good approach. There’s familiarity here. Obviously, I could make some better pitches, but you have to tip your cap to them. They hit some good pitches. Obviously I have to do better next time out, but here with a win and I couldn’t be happier,” Verlander said after the game.

Seattle Mariners sent Houston Astros Justin Verlander to the showers early

Through just 1.1 innings on Tuesday afternoon, Seattle had already racked up four hits and 40 pitches on Verlander. A three-up, three-down third inning slowed the pitch count down some, but Seattle worked some two-out magic in the fourth, getting a J.P. Crawford home run, Rodriguez triple, Ty France double, and Eugenio Suarez single to race to a 6-2 lead and put an end to Verlander’s day.

“I thought we were very aggressive, first of all. Oftentimes, starting pitchers that have that kind of track record are most vulnerable in the first or second inning before they settle in. Once he gets settled in, he can just roll right through you,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

The final line for the 39-year-old right-hander: 4.0 innings, 10 hits, six runs (all earned), one walk, three strikeouts. Of his 81 pitches, 54 went for strikes.

Seattle’s top of the order did the damage on Tuesday against Verlander, just as we discussed was possible.

While Verlander has had solid numbers against Seattle during the regular season (six starts, 2.45 ERA with 33 hits given up in 42.1 innings), this is the second time this season the Mariners have gotten to him for 10 hits. On May 27 in Seattle, the Mariners racked up those 10 hits in six innings, scoring six runs on their way to a 6-1 victory and handing Verlander one of his four losses on the season.

Despite Verlander’s tough start, Houston was able to pull out a victory thanks to Yordan Alvarez’s home run.