Astros Cut Magic Number As They Cling to AL West Lead

The Houston Astros finally got a win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, 2-1, to avert losing the American League West lead.

The Astros (85-68) won on a day in which both the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners won, as their pursuers beat Boston and Oakland, respectively. The Astros also trimmed their magic number to clinch the AL West by one.

Houston has little margin for error as it enters its final stretch, which starts with Kansas City on Friday. In fact, both Texas and Seattle are off on Thursday before they play each other on Friday.

The Astros play Seattle three times next week and the Rangers face the Mariners seven times in the next 10 games.

The Astros control their own destiny — or could lose everything.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch the AL West and a Wild Card berth, along with the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The AL West Race as of Sept. 21

Wednesday’s AL West results

Texas 15, Boston 5

Houston 2, Baltimore 1

Seattle 6, Oakland 3

Standings

Houston (85-68): — (Magic Number to clinch AL West: 10)

Texas (84-68): — 0.5 GB

Seattle (84-68): — 0.5 GB

What’s Left?

Houston (19): Friday-Sunday: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)

Seattle (10): Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (10): Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

AL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 20

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Wednesday's AL Wild Card results

Texas 15, Boston 5

Seattle 6, Oakland 3

Los Angeles Angels 8, Tampa Bay 3

Toronto 6, New York Yankees 1

Standings

Tampa Bay (93-60): +8.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch top Wild Card berth: 2)*

Toronto (85-67): — +1.0 (Magic Number to clinch: 10)

Texas (84-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

Seattle (84-68): — (Magic Number to clinch: 11)

*-Clinched playoff berth; seeding still TBA

What’s Left?

Tampa Bay (9): Thursday: vs. Los Angeles Angels (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)

Seattle (10): Friday-Sunday: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (10): Friday-Sunday: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

Toronto (10): Thursday: at New York Yankees (1); Friday-Sunday: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)