Yordan Alvarez (left) of the Houston Astros hits a two-run double against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, the US on October 11, 2022. Photo: AFP

Yordan Alvarez smashed a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday to give the Houston Astros an 8-7 fightback victory over Seattle in the Major League Baseball playoffs.

The dramatic game-winning blast came after the visiting Mariners had seized a four-run lead through seven innings and the Astros were down to their last strike in the ninth.

"Very happy. This moment means a lot to me," the Cuban-born slugger said through a translator. "It feels great to hit this homer. Very special."

Houston seized a 1-0 lead over Seattle in the best-of-five American League division series, which continues Thursday.

In a National League division series opener, Nick Castellanos drove in three runs and made a key catch late as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies edged reigning World Series champion Atlanta 7-6.

At Houston, solo homers by Eugenio Suarez and J.P. Crawford helped Seattle take a 7-3 lead into the eighth inning.

Alex Bregman belted a two-run homer in the eighth to lift the Astros within 7-5, and Houston began a rally in the ninth when Mariners reliever Paul Sewald hit David Hensley with a pitch with one out.

Sewald struck out Jose Altuve, but Jeremy Pena - down to his last strike - singled up the middle to bring Alvarez, who hit a two-run double in the third inning, to the plate.

Seattle brought in left-handed starting pitcher Robbie Ray, 2021's Cy Young Award winner as best AL pitcher and the league's strikeout leader, for his first relief appearance in two years.

Alvarez fouled off Ray's first offering and then sent his second pitch over the right-field wall, sending the crowd into a frenzy and setting off a rowdy celebration in the Astros dugout.

"I was just going up there to make good contact with the ball and be aggressive," Alvarez said.

"We all know what we're capable of. Nobody can fall asleep on us. They all know we can get it done. And we did."

Atlanta rally fails

In Atlanta, Castellanos and Bryce Harper each had three hits as the Phillies held off a rally attempt by the Braves.

Castellanos singled in a run in the first inning and added a two-run single in the fourth. Edmundo Sosa's sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 7-1 Philadelphia.

Atlanta battled back on Travis d'Arnaud's two-run double in the fifth and pulled within the final margin on a three-run homer by Matt Olson with one out in the ninth.

William Contreras then smacked a sinking fly ball to right field, but Castellanos made a tricky diving catch to deny a base hit, register the penultimate out and snuff out the Atlanta rally.

"Do anything I could to not let it hit the ground," Castellanos said of his thoughts. 

"I saw him hit it. And it was just going towards me and I ran and caught it as best I could."

"They had a big point in the game right there, so to be able to catch that and have two outs and nobody on base was huge."

D'Arnaud then grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

"No panic," Harper said of the key Castellanos grab. 

"He kept his composure. We have all the faith in the world in him out there to make big plays for us," Harper added.

AFP