HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros are on the verge of closing out the AL West.Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis had two hits apiece to help Houston beat James Paxton and the Seattle Mariners 5-2 on Friday night, dropping its magic number to two. The Astros could secure their first division title since 2001 with a win and an Angels loss Saturday."We're excited. We can't wait for that," Correa said. "We're chasing that first and then we want obviously to have the best record in the American League. So hopefully we can clinch soon and then go after the other one." 
The Astros led 3-0 after one inning, jumping all over Paxton (12-4) in his return from the disabled list after sitting out since Aug. 10 with a strained pectoral muscle.Paxton got four outs and was charged with three runs and four hits, snapping a seven-game winning streak. It tied the shortest start of his career and was his first loss since June 27."I was out of whack on the mound," Paxton said. "I was just watching some video, and my front side was going early, so I had nothing to throw against. I felt like I went to throw the ball, and there was nothing there."Houston right-hander Charlie Morton (12-7) struck out seven while pitching six innings of one-run ball. Ken Giles got three outs for his 31st save.Jean Segura had two hits and two RBI for the Mariners, who remain in the hunt for the second AL wild card.Paxton had trouble locating his pitches from the start, walking leadoff hitter George Springer and throwing two wild pitches in the first inning. The first one allowed Springer to advance to second and he scored on a one-out single by Jose Altuve. Paxton's second wild pitch put Altuve at second and the Astros made it 2-0 when he scored on a double by Correa that sailed just out of reach of a leaping Guillermo Heredia in center field.Gattis snapped an 0-for-15 skid with an RBI single before Paxton walked Josh Reddick. He finally escaped the inning by retiring Tyler White.Gattis doubled with two outs in the third and scored on a single by Reddick to push the lead to 4-0."That was a good day for him," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said of Gattis. "He caught well, a couple key hits, a walk. Just did a really nice job of contributing."Segura hit a leadoff double before Morton retired the next 10 batters. Robinson Cano singled with one out in the fourth and Nelson Cruzwalked, but Morton sat down the next two Mariners to end the threat.
The Astros led 3-0 after one inning, jumping all over Paxton (12-4) in his return from the disabled list after sitting out since Aug. 10 with a strained pectoral muscle.Paxton got four outs and was charged with three runs and four hits, snapping a seven-game winning streak. It tied the shortest start of his career and was his first loss since June 27."I was out of whack on the mound," Paxton said. "I was just watching some video, and my front side was going early, so I had nothing to throw against. I felt like I went to throw the ball, and there was nothing there."Houston right-hander Charlie Morton (12-7) struck out seven while pitching six innings of one-run ball. Ken Giles got three outs for his 31st save.Jean Segura had two hits and two RBI for the Mariners, who remain in the hunt for the second AL wild card.Paxton had trouble locating his pitches from the start, walking leadoff hitter George Springer and throwing two wild pitches in the first inning. The first one allowed Springer to advance to second and he scored on a one-out single by Jose Altuve. Paxton's second wild pitch put Altuve at second and the Astros made it 2-0 when he scored on a double by Correa that sailed just out of reach of a leaping Guillermo Heredia in center field.Gattis snapped an 0-for-15 skid with an RBI single before Paxton walked Josh Reddick. He finally escaped the inning by retiring Tyler White.Gattis doubled with two outs in the third and scored on a single by Reddick to push the lead to 4-0."That was a good day for him," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said of Gattis. "He caught well, a couple key hits, a walk. Just did a really nice job of contributing."Segura hit a leadoff double before Morton retired the next 10 batters. Robinson Cano singled with one out in the fourth and Nelson Cruzwalked, but Morton sat down the next two Mariners to end the threat.
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