HOUSTON – Drained but delighted, bordering on delirious, the  Mariners were in full agreement on one thing after they had – somehow – pulled out  a 4-2 victory over the Astros on Saturday night. This one was special. Special, as in a win to savor. And special, as in, you might not see another quite like this for a while.

HOUSTON – Rookie Brad Miller hit his first two major league homers and drove in five runs, and the Seattle Mariners overcame rookie Brandon Barnes’ cycle for the Astros in a 10-7 win over Houston on Friday night. Miller, who started the season in Double-A, launched a two-run shot to the second deck in right field to chase starter Bud Norris (6-9) and make it 6-2 in the sixth inning. He finished with three hits and added a three-run homer when he sent one to the first row in right field in the eighth.

HOUSTON – Rookie Brad Miller hit his first two major league homers and drove in five runs, and the Seattle Mariners overcame rookie Brandon Barnes’ cycle for the Astros in a 10-7 win over Houston on Friday night. Miller, who started the season in Double-A, launched a two-run shot to the second deck in right field to chase starter Bud Norris (6-9) and make it 6-2 in the sixth inning. He finished with three hits and added a three-run homer when he sent one to the first row in right field in the eighth.

The designated hitter turned 40 this year. Fittingly, it’s having sort of a midlife crisis.

HOUSTON – For the Seattle Mariners, the second half of the season (or technically, the final 41 percent of the season) will be filled with significant story lines. Regardless of how those storylines play out on the field, one of the biggest keys to the season will be what happens at the trade deadline.

SEATTLE – This should be an interesting two months ahead for the Mariners as they fight to win not only games on the field but fan confidence as well. That confidence was on the upswing as the team entered the All-Star break with its first series sweep, hitting like it hasn’t in years and riding a wave of enthusiasm over young players Nick Franklin, Brad Miller and Mike Zunino.

Raul Ibanez is crushing homers at a rate better than Barry Bonds or Ted Williams did at age 41, Felix Hernandez has 10 victories at the All-Star break, more than any other time in his career, and young prospects Nick Franklin, Brad Miller and Mike Zunino have provided a much-needed spark for the Seattle clubhouse.

SEATTLE – Hisashi Iwakuma kept his pitches down and the ball in the ballpark. Most of the time. Iwakuma (8-4) allowed a solo home run to Mark Trumbo, but kept the Angels to three runs over seven innings as Seattle completed its first sweep of the season by beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 Sunday. It was an improvement on a lousy month by the Mariners All-Star, who had allowed at least four runs in each of his previous five starts and 10 home runs over his last four outings.

Felix Hernandez threw eight shutout innings and Justin Smoak drove in four runs off Los Angeles starter Jered Weaver, including a three-run homer, in the Seattle Mariners’ 6-0 win over the Angels on Saturday night.