The Orioles (47-51) carry a five-game winning streak into Saturday's contest at Daikin Park against the Houston Astros (47-52). Can they make it six?
Baltimore edged Houston 3-2 Friday to take the series opener, with Taylor Ward providing the margin with a go-ahead two-run home run. Dean Kremer gave the rotation a managable if short start — four innings, five strikeouts, two earned runs — before a bullpen committee closed it out, with Tyler Wells, Anthony Nunez, and Andrew Kittredge each throwing scoreless innings. Adley Rutschman contributed a double, and Pete Alonso walked with the bases loaded to bring in another run.
It was exactly the start to the unofficial second half of the season that Baltimore needed. Wells clinching a hard save, including getting AL MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez to fly out with a runner on and one out, was a big moment.
"The baseball season's a long season, and it constantly tries to trick everyone, and us, into overreacting," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said afterward. "That's something that we have to be diligent to showing up every day and take each day and be prepared to win. Our guys did that... For us to win four going into All Star break and come out here, that was a really tough game against a really good team and a high-powered offense. So it was a great win."
The Astros sit below .500 in the AL West and have struggled to string wins together of late, and spoiled a 10 strikeout outing from their best starter Peter Lambert on Friday. Today, righty Spencer Arrighetti (7-5, 4.50 ERA) goes to the mound while Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.48 ERA) takes the ball for the O's. A win would keep Baltimore streaking, and position them squarely in the hunt for an American League wild card spot. With the win last night, Baltimore jumped Houston in that race.
Probable Starters
Baltimore Orioles: Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.48 ERA)
Houston Astros: Spencer Arrighetti (7-5, 4.50 ERA)
Where to Watch/Listen
First pitch: 4:10 PM ET at Daikin Park
Weather: 93°F, Overcast
TV: MASN
Radio: 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and WBAL NewsRadio (AM 1090 / FM 101.5)