Astros take a 2-0 series lead in the ALDS over the Mariners thanks once again to Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez and his mighty bat did it again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros 4-2 over the Mariners on Thursday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division series.

Alvarez was the Game 1 hero with his gut-punch, three-run shot off reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the ninth inning that gave the Astros an 8-7 win in a game that left them trailing four were standing .

Castillo, who acquired from the Reds near the trade deadline and came out 7 1/3 innings of a wildcard round shutout ball to Toronto, gave up an early homerun to Kyle Tucker, but little else as he took a 2-1 lead. took in the sixth.

But with two outs, Jeremy Peña singled on a blooper that fell between second baseman Adam Frazier and centerfielder Julio Rodríguez. Castillo leaned over and kicked his legs in disappointment as he watched the ball drop into the shallow center.

That brought Alvarez, who hit a 98 mph field and stared off to the opposite field, to the short porch on the left to put the Astros on top 3-2.

Alvarez, who had 37 home runs in the regular season, trotted around the bases as cameras watched his Cuban parents watch their first postseason series after arriving in Houston in August. The lefty pointed to them as he reached the plate before reenacting the powerful swing that puts the Astros one win away from their sixth straight AL Championship Series.

There were two outs and a runner on first base in the eighth when Seattle saw sure enough that Alvarez left the field. The Mariners walked him intentionally and Alex Bregman made them pay, adding some insurance when he singled to make it 4-2.

Houston-starter Framber Valdez got off to a solid start, giving up four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He looked different from his last appearance after the season, after he and fellow pitcher Luis Garcia both got hair extensions this season.

Houston scored more runs in the 8th inning and scored Pena (right) on a Bregman RBI single

Hector Neris took the win after taking the latter out of the sixth inning to escape a basesloaded jam. Bryan Abreu retired the side of the seventh before Rafael Montero came in and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Ryan Pressly walked the lead-off batter in the ninth before JP Crawford lined into a double play. Rodríguez then doubled, but Pressly struckout Ty France to save. The Astros won despite walking seven overall.

The Mariners return to Seattle on Saturday for Game 3 in a huge gap in the best-of-five series, hosting their first playoff game in 21 years.

Carrying the Astros early in this division series, Alvarez carried such a burden that Houston catcher Martín Maldonado asked Alvarez after Game 1 if his back hurt because “you carry us as a team.” The 25-year old recovered this postseason after having a hard time in last year’s World Series, hitting only .100 without homeruns and striking out six.

It is the second consecutive home run for Alvarez, who hit a walk-off winner in Game 1

The slugger who has been criticized in the past for poor defense also made great plays on left field.

Alvarez grabbed a sharp liner that was hit by Eugenio Suarez to finish seventh. In Game 1, he singled by Suarez in the fourth and threw a perfect strike to Maldonado, who tagged out France at the plate.

Castillo gave up five hits and three runs, striking out seven in seven innings.

There was one out in the second inning when Tucker smashed a Castillo slider into the rightfield seats to give Houston a 1-0 lead.

Seattle’s Luis Castillo got seven, but gave up three earned runs and was credited with the loss

Crawford doubled with two outs in the third. But second baseman Jose Altuve made a jumping throw after fielding a sharp grounder by Rodríguez that just beat him to first base to end the inning.

Suarez walked with one out in the fourth and Mitch Haniger doubled. Carlos Santana then hit an one-hopper that fielded Valdez neatly towards third base, but his throw home was offline due to an error that allowed Suarez to make it 1-all.

Santana was out of the game after getting caught up in a rundown. Haniger scored when Dylan Moore singled to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead.

Ryan Pressly (55) took credit for the save in the attempt that gave Houston a 2-0 lead in the series

Valdez walked Haniger with two outs in the sixth, Santana doubled and Moore walked to load the bases and chase Valdez. Neris took over and knocked out Cal Raleigh on a groundout to escape the jam.

Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr., who started just eight games this season after missing the first four months of the year with a forearm injury, will face rookie George Kirby in Game 3 on Saturday in Seattle.

Kirby pitched in relief in Game 2 of the wildcard round to become the first rookie in MLB history to record a postseason season in his first professional relief appearance.

Houston is now one win away from another American League Championship appearance