HOUSTON — For the first time since early June, the Houston Astros are looking up at a team in the American League West standings.

The Seattle Mariners have snatched the top spot in the division, riding the momentum of a nine-game winning streak with just two weeks left in the regular season. Seattle sits one game ahead of Houston and three above the Rangers.

Sunday was the turning point. The Astros dropped an 8-3 decision to the Braves in Atlanta, while Seattle kept rolling with an 11-2 blowout over the Angels. The Rangers, meanwhile, fell in 10 innings to the Mets.

So now the question is: where do we go from here?

The Astros’ fate will likely be decided over the next six games -- and the schedule is a make or break for the hometown squad. Houston hosts the Rangers for three games on

See Full Page