Josh Hader walked in the tying run before giving up a walk-off single to cap the Astros’ 10-inning loss to the Mariners on Wednesday in Seattle.
Jack Compton/Getty Images
SEATTLE — Wednesday presented the Houston Astros a ripe chance to augment their position in the waning American League playoff race. They could not seize it and will enter their final regular-season series with the slimmest of division advantages as a result.
Josh Naylor delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning against closer Josh Hader to send the Astros to a 6-5 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Seattle scored twice in the inning against Hader, who had returned for a second inning of work trying to protect a one-run lead.
Earlier in the night, the Rangers fell to the Mets in Arlington. Had they won, the Astros would essentially have taken a two-game lead over Texas with four to play, given the tiebreaker. Instead, the teams will go into their final four games with identical 78-80 records, with the tiebreaker Houston’s only edge.
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“Anytime we can get ahead of the game, that’s what you want,” Hader said. “We came into this road trip trying to win them all. And it sucks that we lost this one and how we did. But we’ve still got to play four more games. We’ve still got to play good baseball and finish out strong.
“Obviously, we’ve still got the tiebreaker, so that’s fortunate for us. But we can’t bank on that. We’ve got to win out. And hopefully we’ll look up and we’re in the playoffs.”
Yainer Diaz’s triple against Cooper Criswell in the top of the 10th inning drove in Yordan Alvarez for the Astros’ first run since the third. Neither Nelson Velázquez nor Taylor Trammell could drive in Diaz from third base, leaving the Astros with a one-run lead.
Hader, who had thrown 19 pitches in a scoreless ninth, and had not pitched in the previous five days, returned for the 10th. It marked the left-hander’s third multi-inning appearance since returning from separate injured list stints for shoulder and biceps ailments. He entered with a 0.83 ERA.
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Randy Arozarena worked a leadoff seven-pitch walk and Dominic Canzone’s ground out moved runners to second and third with one out. Cal Raleigh walked to load the bases. Nobody appeared to warm in the Astros bullpen behind Hader, who started the next at-bat at 35 pitches.
Julio Rodríguez fell behind 1-2 but worked an eight-pitch walk, taking a slider off the plate. Naylor then lined the 44th pitch of the night from Hader into center field to end the game. Hader had not thrown as many pitches in a regular-season game since 2019.
“Tough one,” manager Joe Espada said. “Tough one, yeah. We used our entire arsenal there trying to get through that one. Tough loss. Tough loss, yeah. But we’ve got another one tomorrow. But that was a tough one there.”
Houston mounted a four-run third inning against Mariners starter George Kirby, capped by Diaz’s two-run home run. Kirby allowed nothing more across five innings. Seattle clawed back to forge a tie by the fifth. Astros starter Ethan Pecko allowed three runs in the third. Canzone delivered a game-tying single against Josh Hendrickson, a left-hander making his major-league debut, in the fifth.
Neither of Houston’s starters in the two-game series completed three innings, requiring a heavy bullpen effort. Hendrickson gave Houston two innings in his debut. Logan VanWey, who had thrown two innings Tuesday, returned to record one out. AJ Blubaugh, the major-league leader in relief innings, worked two scoreless to reach 95 ⅓ innings for the season.
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Rookie pitchers carried Houston through the seventh. Its offense stalled after the third. A one-out single by Christian Walker in the eighth created a rare chance. Espada attempted to capitalize. Jeremy Peña, not starting a night after he was hit on the right forearm by a pitch, pinch-ran for Walker. With two outs, LaMonte Wade Jr. pinch-hit for Cam Smith against right-hander Carlos Vargas.
Peña stole second, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position. Wade took a called third strike, though, ending the inning. Peña did not stay in the game to play defense, apparently available only to run. Bryan Abreu, the first non-rookie pitcher to appear for Houston, worked a scoreless eighth inning to send a 4-4 tie into the ninth. Hader became the Astros’ sixth pitcher of the night, and the last.
Houston
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
38
5
10
5
3
13
Altuve 2b
5
1
2
1
0
2
.252
Alvarez dh
4
2
2
0
1
0
.316
Paredes 3b
4
0
1
1
0
1
.261
Diaz c
5
1
2
3
0
0
.282
Walker 1b
4
0
1
0
0
2
.221
1-Peña pr
0
0
0
0
0
0
.275
Velázquez rf
1
0
0
0
0
1
.190
Trammell lf
5
0
0
0
0
3
.196
Smith rf
2
0
0
0
1
0
.208
b-Wade ph-1b
1
0
0
0
0
1
.206
Spence cf
3
0
0
0
1
2
.150
Allen ss
4
1
2
0
0
1
.278
Seattle
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
35
6
9
6
7
7
Crawford ss-3b
5
2
1
0
0
1
.220
Arozarena lf
3
3
1
0
2
0
.279
Canzone dh
5
0
2
3
0
0
.262
Raleigh c
4
0
0
0
1
2
.180
Rodríguez cf
4
0
3
2
1
0
.249
Naylor 1b
4
0
1
1
1
0
.266
Young 2b-ss
4
0
0
0
0
1
.244
Montes rf
2
1
0
0
1
1
.182
c-Ward ph-rf
1
0
1
0
0
0
.223
Wilson 3b
2
0
0
0
0
2
.210
a-Arroyo ph-2b
1
0
0
0
1
0
.304
Houston
004
000
000
10
0
Seattle
003
010
000
9
0
One out when winning run scored.
a-flied out for Wilson in the 7th. b-struck out for Smith in the 8th. c-singled for Montes in the 9th.
1-ran for Walker in the 8th.
LOB_Houston 8, Seattle 9. 2B_Paredes (27), Allen (6), Alvarez (33), Rodríguez (26). 3B_Diaz (1). HR_Diaz (14), off Kirby. RBIs_Altuve (46), Paredes (92), Diaz 3 (43), Canzone 3 (75), Rodríguez 2 (68), Naylor (55). SB_Arozarena (25), Peña (11). CS_Spence (2), Naylor (9), Ward (4). SF_Paredes.
Runners left in scoring position_Houston 4 (Wade, Altuve, Trammell, Diaz); Seattle 2 (Naylor 2). RISP_Houston 3 for 9; Seattle 4 for 7.
Runners moved up_Canzone.
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
2
4
3
3
2
2
51
4.31
2
2
1
1
0
3
31
4.50
0
0
0
0
0
6
1.74
2
0
0
0
1
1
24
3.59
1
1
0
0
0
1
18
3.82
1
2
2
1
4
0
44
1.01
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
5
6
4
4
3
5
96
4.33
1
0
0
0
0
2
13
3.92
1
1
0
0
0
2
12
3.00
1
1
0
0
0
2
17
5.19
1
1
0
0
0
1
19
3.69
1
1
1
0
0
1
15
3.26
Inherited runners-scored_Hendrickson 2-0, VanWey 1-0. WP_Pecko.
ABS Challenge_Montes (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Trammell (Strike-Confirmed); Canzone (Strike-Confirmed); Hader (Ball-Confirmed).
Umpires_Home, Marvin Hudson; First, Tripp Gibson; Second, Jansen Visconti; Third, Ryan Blakney.
T_3:18. A_24,802 (47,929).
Astros forge four-run third
Kirby retired six of his first seven batters. The right-hander is notorious for avoiding walks. Lucas Spence, just recalled from Triple-A and thrust into center field with Daulton Varsho ailing, worked one to lead off the third inning. Spence was thrown out stealing second, but it perhaps punctured Kirby’s rhythm.
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Nick Allen, the ninth hitter, pulled a double. Jose Altuve wheeled on 98 mph and clipped both the left-field line and the leg of third base umpire Ryan Blakney. It caromed for a single, scoring Allen. Alvarez roped a liner right by Altuve’s head for a double. Isaac Paredes skied a sacrifice fly to drive in Altuve.
It brought up Diaz, elevated to the cleanup spot with Peña out. Kirby had induced a ground out from Diaz in his first at-bat with a splitter. That, in itself, was unusual.
Entering the day, Kirby had thrown 12 splitters to right-handed hitters all season, per Baseball Savant. He threw two more to righties before Diaz came up again in the third. After a first-pitch fastball, Kirby threw a splitter down and in. Diaz golfed it 358 feet over the left-field wall to give the Astros a 4-0 lead.
“I think we did a nice job trying to get those starters out,” Espada said. “Early four runs and then after that they did a nice job just kind of stopping our offense.”
Houston Astros shortstop Nick Allen reacts after tagging Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor out stealing second base during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners’ Randy Arozarena scores on an RBI single from designated hitter Dominic Canzone during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros shortstop Nick Allen looks on after Seattle Mariners’ Randy Arozarena stole second base during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners’ Cole Young reacts to striking out against Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hendrickson during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hendrickson throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hendrickson throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros starting pitcher Ethan Pecko walks to the dugout after being pulled during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros starting pitcher Ethan Pecko walks to the dugout after being pulled during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez hits an RBI double against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yainer Diaz (21) celebrates his two-run home run with Yordan Alvarez, left, who scored, during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yainer Diaz (21) celebrates his two-run home run with Yordan Alvarez, left, who scored, during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena watches the two-run home run off the bat of Houston Astros’ Yainer Diaz during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yainer Diaz runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yainer Diaz runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve scores on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve scores on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez celebrates a double as Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford, right, looks on during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez follows through on a double against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve reacts after hitting an RBI single to score Nick Allen against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Nick Allen scores on an RBI single from Jose Altuve during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Nick Allen scores on an RBI single from Jose Altuve during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros starting pitcher Ethan Pecko throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford looks on as Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes reacts to hitting a double during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez watches the double from Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes fall in front of him during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes follows through on a double against the Seattle Mariners during the first inningof a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Mariners answer, chase Ethan Pecko
Pecko, making his seventh major-league outing, posted a 1.72 ERA over his previous three. He followed an opener in two of them, each comprising 5 ⅔ innings of one-run ball. If the Astros wanted to repeat that plan, it was foiled by the bullpen covering seven innings Tuesday after Cristian Javier’s groin injury.
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Pecko started instead, with a shorter leash given the stakes. He retired six of his first seven batters. But staked to a four-run lead, he did not escape the third inning and a Mariners response.
Lazaro Montes worked a leadoff walk. J.P. Crawford struck a one-out single. A walk to Randy Arozarena filled the bases for Canzone, who scorched a two-run single off the base of the right-field wall. Pecko struck out Raleigh, but a double by Rodríguez pared the lead to 4-3 and ended his night.
“The first two went smooth, but in games like this you can’t give away free bases,” Pecko said. “It’s a short leash and you’ve got to prove that you’re supposed to be out there and tonight I didn’t do that.
“I think they realized I was throwing strikes and it was kind of sinker-cutter heavy and they adjusted before I did and they started to jump on some pitches. And as I fell behind they could kind of pick and choose what I wanted to swing at and I think that’s what you saw happen.”
Memorable debut for Josh Hendrickson
Pecko exited with the tying run on third base and the go-ahead run on second. Hendrickson, promoted pregame from Triple-A to replace Javier on the roster, inherited the jam for his major-league debut.
Hendrickson, a 29-year-old left-hander from Australia, had spent the full season at Triple-A after signing a minor-league deal in mid-April. He posted a 4.75 ERA in 23 outings there. Prior to this season, he had four career outings at Triple-A. He did not pitch in affiliated ball in 2024 or ’25.
After the Triple-A season ended last weekend, Hendrickson remained in the Houston area on taxi squad, and the Astros called him up Wednesday to replace Cristian Javier. Espada said pregame he would not hesitate to “give (Hendrickson) the ball in big moments.” That proved true.
Hendrickson’s second pitch in the majors induced a ground out from Naylor to end the third inning, stranding two runners and preserving a 4-3 lead.
Espada sent Hendrickson back out to start two more innings. He worked a scoreless fourth, striking out two batters. In the fifth, Arozarena lined a one-out single and stole second. Canzone lined a game-tying single. Hendrickson retired Raleigh on a fly out before Espada emerged to remove him.
Hendrickson faced eight batters in his debut, allowing two hits and no walks and striking out three. He ceded to VanWey with two outs in the fifth.
“I thought that was a really awesome major-league debut,” Espada said. “Came in, got some big outs for us … We needed some help there in the middle and he delivered a really nice outing.”
Who do Astros play next?
The Astros were set to board a flight after Wednesday’s game for Sacramento, where they will begin a season-ending four-game series against the A’s on Thursday.
Peter Lambert will start the series opener for Houston. The Astros have not named any starters beyond the opener, with their pitching plans surely dependent on the state of the division race. The A’s had not announced starters for the series as of Wednesday night. They are 63-95 after a two-game sweep of the Angels in a matchup of the two worst teams in an AL West still up for grabs.