GEORGE KIRBY

Gerrit Cole stared down José Caballero and wagged a finger at the Seattle Mariners’ dugout 15 times after striking out the side in the seventh inning, a pointed response to the rookie’s repeated step-outs during the New York Yankees’ 3-1 win that stopped a four-game losing streak.

The Seattle Mariners believe snapping their 21-year playoff drought is only the beginning.

Jeremy Peña homered in the 18th inning, and the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 to advance to the AL Championship Series for the sixth straight year.

There was bunting draped off the railings in October and logos painted on the grass of T-Mobile Park that were absent for the past two decades when the Seattle Mariners were stuck in baseball purgatory and left as a spectator every postseason.

Yordan Alvarez and his mighty bat did it yet again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.

Astros reliever Phil Maton says he broke his right pinkie when he punched a locker in frustration after Houston’s regular-season finale and will miss the postseason.

So far, the impact of baseball's expanded postseason is marginal.

Seattle right-hander George Kirby set a major league record by throwing 24 straight strikes to start the game and fellow Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez reached a new level, but Ildemaro Vargas hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning that lifted the Washington Nationals to a 3-1 win.

Cal Raleigh homered twice, Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker each hit a two-run shot, and the Seattle Mariners overcame Shohei Ohtani’s four-hit performance to complete a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with an 11-7 victory.

Carlos Santana snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a go-ahead two-run homer during Seattle’s three-run seventh inning, and the Mariners rallied to beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-3.

Ty France hit a two-run homer in the third inning, George Kirby pitched six solid innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 to open a doubleheader.

Abraham Toro pinch-hit for injured All-Star Julio Rodriguez and delivered a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied past the AL-West leading Houston Astros 5-4.

Trevor Story had three homers, four hits and seven RBIs to help the Boston Red Sox rally from a four-run deficit to beat the Seattle Mariners 12-6.

Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros try for their 12th straight win Saturday, which would tie the team record.

Robinson Canó has found another job in the majors, signing with San Diego less than a week after being released by the Mets.

Susan G.