Astros clinch AL West division title

Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings and the Astros belted four home runs in a 7-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday that lifted Houston to the American League West division title. It's the Astros seventh division title -- but their first AL West pennant. They won National League Central crown in 2001 for their most recent previous division championship, prior to moving to the American League in 2013. Verlander allowed one run on three hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts over seven innings. In three starts with the Astros since he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on September 1, Verlander is 3-0 with an 0.86 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 21 innings. Derek Fisher and Marwin Gonzalez belted two-run home runs in the fifth inning to help Houston erase a 1-0 deficit. Fisher socked his fifth homer off Mariners right-hander Andrew Moore and Gonzalez greeted Mariners reliever James Pazos with his 22nd homer this season. In the seventh inning, George Springer bashed his team-leading 32nd home run of the season into the box seats in left field. Two batters later, Carlos Correa hit his 21st home run to straightaway center field. The Astros moved into first place in the AL West on April 14 with a 7-2 win over the Athletics and had remained atop the division ever since.