Heyward, Bregman and Tucker homer as Astros beat Mariners 4-3 to clinch 4th straight AL West title

HOUSTON (AP) — Jason Heyward hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and made a dazzling defensive play as the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Tuesday night to clinch their fourth consecutive AL West championship.

Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker each added a solo home run for the Astros, who are headed to the postseason for the eighth year in a row.

The Astros trailed by one with no outs in the fifth inning when Victor Caratini singled before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Peña.

Heyward, who wowed on defense in the top of the inning, launched his home run to the second deck in right field off Logan Gilbert (8-12) to put Houston on top 4-3.

Heyward, who signed with the Astros last month after his release by the Dodgers, is filling in for Yordan Alvarez, who is out with a knee sprain.

“What an opportunity,” Heyward said. “You never know where you’re going to be. It’s a different journey than most to get here, but it’s really cool that the game allows that to happen. And to come into a winning clubhouse, with a winning culture, that says a lot about what people think of me and it’s fun to give that back to them.”

The Mariners had runners on first and third with one out in the eighth before Ryan Pressly retired Mitch Garver on a flyball. Josh Hader took over and struck out J.P. Crawford to preserve the lead.

Hader returned for the ninth and retired pinch-hitter Luis Urías before striking out Victor Robles and Julio Rodríguez to earn his 34th save.

First-year Astros manager Joe Espada was overwhelmed as the final out was recorded.

“Oh my God. Unbelievable,” he said. “Tears came out of my eyes. I’m emotional because I care about this team. I love this team, and the fact that we are in a position to compete for another World Series is special.”

Framber Valdez (15-7) permitted eight hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings for the win.

Jorge Polanco homered among his season-high four hits and had two RBIs for the Mariners, who dropped 2 1/2 games below the postseason cutoff in a crowded race for the final two American League wild cards.

“It’s always hard when you watch a team celebrate,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “But I think the message here is that there’s a lot of different scenarios that could still take place. And we keep fighting ... and turn around and see what happens.”

Justin Turner and Polanco singled to open the sixth, but Garver grounded out before Valdez struck out Crawford to end his outing.

Bryan Abreu came in and pinch-hitter Luke Raley grounded out as Houston escaped the jam.

Gilbert allowed five hits, four runs and tied a season high by giving up three homers in six innings.

There were two outs in the first when Bregman sent a fastball from Gilbert over the fence in center field to make it 1-0.

Polanco tied it when homered to left on Valdez’s second pitch of the second inning.

Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh singled to open the third before the Mariners took a 2-1 lead on an RBI double by Randy Arozarena. There was one out when Polanco singled to score Rodríguez and make it 3-1.

Tucker’s shot to start the Houston fourth sailed over the short wall in right field to cut the lead to 3-2.

Heyward robbed Raleigh of extra bases with a leaping catch in left field for the second out of the fifth. Heyward crashed into the metal scoreboard on the wall after making the play, knocking out a panel with his left hand.

He was shaken up by the collision and fell to the ground writhing in pain. Heyward was checked by an athletic trainer but remained in the game before hitting his homer in the bottom half.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Alvarez was feeling better after spraining his right knee Sunday on a slide, but wasn't sure when he’ll return. “I really can’t do much right now,” he said. “Inflammation obviously is still there and I can’t even turn my knee right now.”

UP NEXT

The Mariners hadn’t announced their starter for Wednesday’s series finale. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-9, 4.19 ERA) will pitch for Houston.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco is greet by third base coach Manny Acta, left, after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz (21) and Alex Bregman (2) celebrate a solo home run by Bregman during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Jason Heyward (22) collects high-fives in the dugout after his two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Alex Bregman (2) connects for a home run in front of Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Kyle Tucker flips his bat as he watches his solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Astros' Jason Heyward gestures to the dugout as he rounds the bases on his two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Under elaborate security, residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir began casting their votes Wednesday in the second phase of a staggered election for a local government.

About 2.6 million residents are eligible to elect 26 of the 239 candidates in six districts, including in the biggest regional main city of Srinagar, where voters in some polling booths queued outside early in the morning.

It is the first such election in a decade, and the first since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government scrapped the Muslim-majority region’s semi-autonomy in 2019. The former state was also downgraded and divided into two centrally governed union territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. Both are ruled directly by New Delhi, allowing it to appoint administrators to run them along unelected bureaucrats and security setup.

The region has since been on edge with civil liberties curbed and media freedoms gagged.

The vote also comes for the first time in over three decades without any boycott call from separatists who challenge Indian’s sovereignty over Kashmir. Polls in the past have been marked with violence, boycotts and vote-rigging, even though India called them a victory over separatism.

Authorities erected checkpoints and laid razor wire in the voting districts as government forces wearing flak jackets and carrying assault rifles patrolled the constituencies.

The third phase is scheduled for Oct. 1 and votes will be counted on Oct. 8, with results expected that day. Voting began Sept. 18 with about 59% voter turnout in what the region’s chief electoral officer said was an “incident-free and peaceful" first round of polls.

Authorities have limited access of foreign media to polling stations and denied press credentials to most journalists working with international media, including to The Associated Press, without citing any reason.

India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.

The multistage election will allow Kashmir to have its own truncated government and a local legislature, called an assembly, rather than being directly under New Delhi’s rule. However, there will be a limited transition of power from New Delhi to the local assembly as Kashmir will remain a “Union Territory” — directly controlled by the federal government — with India’s Parliament as its main legislator. Kashmir’s statehood must be restored for the new government to have powers similar to other states of India.

Kashmiri women queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Abdul Ahad lone shows the indelible ink mark on his index finger after casting his vote in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Indian paramilitary soldiers guard a polling station during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri women queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

An Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard as Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Sayeeda Begum shows the indelible ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Kashmiri women queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

An Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard as Kashmiri's queue up at a polling booth to cast their vote during the second phase of the assembly election in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Polling officials and police walk on a wooden bridge towards a polling station in the interior of Dal Lake ahead of the second phase of voting for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in Srinagar, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian policemen patrol as they guard near a venue for distribution of election material, ahead of the second phase of voting for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in Srinagar, Tuesday, Sept. 24 , 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Polling officials check electronic voting machines and other election material to a venue for distribution, ahead of the second phase of voting for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in Srinagar, Tuesday, Sept. 24 , 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian policemen patrol as they guard near a venue for distribution of election material, ahead of the second phase of voting for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in Srinagar, Tuesday, Sept. 24 , 2024. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)