[jaa36]

AG: Welcome back to The Wheelhouse. Jerry, the Mariners live on!

JD: Alive and well, I would say, Aaron!

AG: The M's played a classic game against the Twins to advance to the Division Series, where they stand tied at a game apiece with the Houston Astros. Let's work backwards, and get back to that incredible game at Safeco Field in a bit. The Astros, of course, a tough matchup, but one that your team actually played pretty well against this year, going 11-8 against them in the regular season. What's made you so tough for the Astros to beat this year?

JD: I think it's been a number of things. We've played them during some of our hottest stretches of the year, so that's helped. We've found a way to get to their pitchers, including that 15-run game at the end of July where we put up eight on Justin Verlander. Our starters have performed really well against their lineup. And we've sort of seen the same hold true so far in this series.

AG: Game one against Houston, a tough matchup against Lance McCullers Jr.- well, they're all tough matchup- but hard for the M's to square up his curveball.

JD: It's just a blizzard of offspeed stuff with him, and he located it really well that day. No surprises there. I felt like our best hope was when we got into their bullpen, and with Kevin Pillar's home run we were within two, but we just couldn't close the gap all the way.

AG: A.J. Hinch managing aggressively, like Scott Servais would, and putting in Ken Giles for two innings to close things out. He ended up throwing 42 pitches, but with adrenaline running high, he was able to strike out the side in the ninth.

JD: Yeah. It was smart of A.J. to put his best guy out there for as long as he could go to win that game.

AG: This was, of course, Felix's first playoff start in his long career. What was that like for him?

JD: Well, certainly exciting, though I know he was disappointed in the outcome. His command wasn't as sharp as we've seen this year, and he ran up some counts and walked guys early. If we end up going to game five, he'll be our guy again though.

AG: The second game was a kind that I feel like we've seen a lot this year, where the M's get a lead and just keep piling on. Kevin Pillar just extraordinary thus far in the series, with a three-run home run and falling just a double short of the cycle. You think he's excited to be in the playoffs?

JD: He's been there before, with the Blue Jays in 2015 and 2016, but he really didn't play too well in the latter year, so he's thrilled to be back. He's just such a fiery, competitive guy, and he's been a tremendous addition to our team.

AG: And just as important to the cause was Robbie Cano with his two home runs. Postseason play was something of an annual tradition when he was with the Yankees, but it's been six years since he's been in the playoffs as well.

JD: He's thrilled as well. He's been such an important leader for this team.

AG: A little bit of a surprise to have Marco Gonzales start game two over Mike Leake, who was expected to start. Tell us about the thought process there.

JD: Honestly, it was practically a coin flip for Scott. I think in the end he went with Marco because his numbers had been better this year, and he matched up a little better against their lefties. James Paxton should start game three, and then Mike will be out there for game four.

AG: Gonzales pitched very well early in the game, as he has all year, but got into some trouble in the fifth, which led to the bullpen parade which has been so successful this year. And with the stakes at their highest, Scott goes to his closer, Edwin Diaz, in the fifth inning. Which would be crazy, except for what Scott had done in the Minnesota game a few days earlier, which we'll come to shortly.

JD: We felt like that would be the highest leverage point of the game, with a three-run lead, two on and nobody out. Edwin did give up a couple hits that brought the game within one, but he also gave us two innings that we needed there, and was able to hand things over to Juan Nicasio for two more and then Mark Rzcepzynski to get the last three outs after the game was pretty much out of reach.

AG: So the M's head back to Safeco for two more playoff games there. Pretty exciting for the city!

JD: It sure is. I can't remember an atmosphere quite as electric as the one at Safeco for the Minnesota game. It was louder than a Seahawks game, just incredible.

AG: Let's come back to that game. This was James Paxton versus Lance Lynn. Neither one fares particularly well. By the third inning you have a 3-3 tie, two on, two out for the Twins, Paxton scuffling a bit and already up to 76 pitches, and here comes Edwin Diaz. In the THIRD inning! I have seen it all.

JD: And it worked, did it not?

AG: I can't argue with that. The M's bullpen was just lights out, as Diaz and six other relievers came on over the remainder of the game and did not give up a run. Simply incredible. Now, the Twins' bullpen wasn't too shabby either, so not much happening over the next few innings. But one of the big differences between Scott's approach as compared to Paul Molitor's approach with his bullpen, was that it looked like Molitor was going to leave his closer Trevor Hildenberger out there until his arm fell off.

JD: Trevor was pretty darn good out there, but yeah, he was clearly tired when he was out there to start the 11th inning. And you saw what happened.

AG: Dee Gordon walks. Reliever Ryan Pressly comes on. Dee, of course, steals second base. Two outs later, Nelson Cruz hits a rocket up the middle, Dee is going for home all the way, scores relatively easily, and Safeco just explodes.

JD: I loved it. I loved having Dee start things up and Nellie finish things off, just like they've done it over and over again this year. So exciting for our franchise, our city, and for this group of guys.

AG: Well, as mentioned, game three tonight, with James Paxton going up against Collin McHugh. We aren't going to talk about food or any other nonsense, or even any listener mail. I want you focused on the task at hand, Jerry.

JD: Thanks, Aaron.

AG: So get back out there and beat the Astros, willya?

JD: Fingers crossed.

AG: Well, thanks as always for joining us Jerry, and we'll see you next week on The Wheelhouse.