ALDS Game 3 Preview: HOU at SEA

If this park is a-rockin’, hopefully the Mariners bats are a-knockin’

An actual yell went up when the foghorn sounded, announcing the gates were open at T-Mobile Park. People sprinted in from the center field entrance to grab prime spots on the rail in the bullpen or Edgar’s. An hour before game time, the seats in the lower bowl—lovingly polished dry by a flurry of T-Mobile employees not an hour earlier—are steadily filling up, a sea of blue accented here and there with pops of orange, as well as a bright pocket over the visitor’s dugout. The stage is set. The Mariners need to win this game to keep their improbable, wonderful playoff run alive. Here’s hoping today’s game is more “wonderful” and less “improbable.”

Lineups:

Notes from Scott Servais’s pre-game press conference:

• Everyone who is on the roster is healthy and available today.
• On what this moment means to Servais, and to the fanbase: “I think for me, I know driving in today and, you’re driving over the I-90 bridge and how many times I’ve taken that drive thinking about, how are we going to get there, how are we going get there in the hopes of a playoff game. So it’s a really big day for our franchise today, our fan base, and our players.”
• On facing Lance McCullers, who is 10-3 against the Mariners in his career with an ERA of 2.80 and 120 strikeouts in 18 games: “The key to today’s game, along with all the games we’ve played, is controlling the strike zone, get him in the zone, work through some at-bats. I’ve been very impressed with our team since the playoffs have started. We’ve done a really good job of controlling the zone, not chasing too much in big moments, and it’s hard to do. Everybody wants to get the big hit. But I think we’ve all bought into the value of just grinding through, taking your walk if it’s there. Eventually you’ll get a pitch to hit. We have seen it. As long as we stay in that mode we’ll be fine.”
• On his starter George Kirby: “We believe in his confidence and how he’s carried himself, really from day one that I’ve ever been around George. It doesn’t really change a whole lot as far as what he does on the mound. He doesn’t try too hard, doesn’t back off when maybe he’s looking at the bottom of the lineup in a game, he’s up three, four runs. He’s just very consistent with his approach and how he goes about it. So you’re not really riding the wave with George. It’s not a lot of up and down. Kind of have a good idea what you’re going to get every time out there. It’s served him well. It’s served us well.”
• On if he’ll take a moment to take it all in: “I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to look around for a few seconds...before Altuve steps in the box. Then it’s game on. No question about it. I think we all should. Grateful we’re in this spot. It’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of hard decisions by a lot of people in this building, starting with ownership, our front office, coaching staff, the players, the work they have put in. You need to enjoy where we’re at right now. But as soon as Altuve steps in the box it’s game on. It’s compete and figure out a way to beat ‘em. That’s what it’s about.”

Game information:

Game time: 1:07 PT

Radio: 710 Seattle Sports

TV: TBS

Heartbeat status: TBD