Houston Astros Lose, Keep AL West Playoff Race Tight

The Houston Astros squandered another chance to put more distance between themselves and the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

The Astros played the Kansas City Royals for the second straight game and lost for the second straight game. The Royals won a slugfest, 10-8, continuing the Astros’ recent struggles against bad teams.

The Astros lost two out of three games to Oakland earlier in the week.

While that was going on, the Rangers were in Cleveland and lost a one-run game, 2-1, handing them their second straight loss after a six-game winning streak.

So, like Friday night, the only thing the Astros came away with was seeing their magic number reduced by one. Which is something, but not what the Astros were hoping for.

Meanwhile, Seattle fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings.

Plus, the Wild Card race below Tampa Bay — which is well ahead of the field — tightened more as Toronto beat Boston in 13 innings.

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. 17

Saturday’s AL West results

Cleveland 2, Texas 1

Kansas City 10, Houston 8

Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Seattle 2 (11 innings)

Standings

Houston (83-66): — (Magic Number to clinch AL West: 14)

Texas (82-66): — 0.5 GB

Seattle (81-67): — 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

Houston (13): Sunday: at Kansas City (1); Sept. 18-20: vs. Baltimore (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Kansas City (3); Sept. 25-27: at Seattle (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Arizona (3)

Seattle (14): Sunday: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1); Sept. 18-20: at Oakland (3); Sept. 22-24: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (14): Sunday: at Cleveland (1); Sept. 18-20: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 22-24: 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. 17

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Saturday’s AL Wild Card results

Cleveland 2, Texas 1

Baltimore 8, Tampa Bay 0

Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Seattle 2 (11 innings)

Toronto 4, Boston 3 (13 innings)

Tampa Bay (92-58): +9.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 4)

Texas (82-66): — +0.5 (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 14)

Toronto (82-67): — (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 14)

Seattle (81-67): — 0.5 Games back of final Wild Card berth

What’s Left?

Tampa Bay (12): Sunday: at Baltimore (1); Sept. 19-21: vs. Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Toronto (3); Sept. 26-27: vs. Boston (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Toronto (3)

Seattle (14): Sunday: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1); Sept. 18-20: at Oakland (3); Sept. 22-24: at Texas (3); Sept. 25-27: vs. Houston (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: vs. Texas (4)

Texas (14): Sunday: at Cleveland (1); Sept. 18-20: vs. Boston (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Seattle (3); Sept. 25-27: at Los Angeles Angels (3); Sept. 28-Oct. 1: at Seattle (4)

Toronto (13): Sunday: vs. Boston (1); Sept. 19-21: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 22-24: at Tampa Bay (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. New York Yankees (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Tampa Bay (3)