The Houston Astros welcomed the Seattle Mariners to Daikin Park on Friday night to kickoff a weekend series that will end with one of the two teams taking the upper hand in the American League West.
The Astros and Mariners came into the weekend tied atop the division with nine games remaining in the season, and the Mariners took care of business on Friday night.
The Astros sent their ace, Hunter Brown, to the mound the Mariners had their rising star, Bryan Woo, on the mound. The difference in the game was four Mariners' solo home runs. Despite the Astros' loss, Brown accomplished an impressive milestone for the first time in his career.
Hunter Brown reaches 200 K's
After breaking out in 2024, Brown has doubled down on that standard of pitching in 2025. The Astros' ace dropped his ERA from 5.09 to 3.49 from 2023 to 2024, and has brought it down to a career-low 2.30 this season.
Throughout his four-year Astros' career, Brown has a 3.45 ERA, accumulated 526.1 innings pitched and 580 strikeouts.
Hunter Brown's incredible season reaches another impressive milestone 👏 pic.twitter.com/e9CjK1v1J1
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025
On Friday night, Brown reached 200 strikeouts in a single season for the first time in his career. The Astros' star became the seventh pitcher this season to accomplish the feat, and just the third pitcher in the AL.
Brown pitched six innings on Friday night and gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, and struck out nine batters to reach 201 strikeouts on the season.
JULIOOOOOO 💥
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025
In one of the biggest series of the season, Julio Rodríguez gets the @Mariners started early! pic.twitter.com/g19DhJBhmy
However, it wasn't enough as Woo kept the Astros off the board for five innings and three other Mariners' relievers kept the shutout intact.
Seattle took the first game of the series in Houston, 4-0, and now lead the AL West by one game. The Astros and Mariners will be back at it on Saturday with Mariners' pitcher George Kirby facing Astros' pitcher Framber Valdez.