HOUSTON — The last time George Kirby faced the Houston Astros. He walked off the mound after tossing seven brilliant innings, holding the potent Astros lineup scoreless and leaving them shaking their head in frustration. He was rewarded with a raucous standing ovation from more than 47,000 people at T-Mobile Park.
The date was Oct. 15 of last season, and it was Game 3 of the American League Division Series. As a wunderkind rookie, Kirby’s first postseason gave his team and city hope of at least one more game in the magical playoff run. Of course, the game would feature another 11 innings of baseball — 10 more without a run scored.
On Thursday, Kirby finally faced the Mariners’ AL West rivals for the first time this season. He delivered a start similar to that postseason performance, and unlike that playoff outing, his teammates gave him an actual run of support. Four to be exact.
