The Orioles are streaking, but not without some damage.
Baltimore won its seventh straight game on Sunday afternoon, with a 5-2 victory over the Houston Astros, and are seemingly rolling into a crucial three-game set with the Red Sox in Boston ahead.
But a pair of new injuries – to both their catchers – raises concern.
Samuel Basallo left Sunday’s game early with right shoulder discomfort, the team said, and it appeared he injured the shoulder on a swing in his first at-bat.
The injury is related to a “lingering thing” with Basallo’s shoulder, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said after the game, and Basallo “aggravated” it today.
Meanwhile, Adley Rutschman was out of the lineup already, dealing with a left wrist injury. Rutschman grimaced in pain during an at-bat on Saturday, but Albernaz wouldn’t say when Rutschman – who played in his third All-Star game earlier in the week – suffered the injury.
Third catcher Sam Huff was brought up from Norfolk earlier today, and good thing: Huff came on for Basallo on Sunday.
The better news? The Orioles improved to 49-51 with the win and a sweep of Houston to remain in the thick of the playoff race.
Orioles starter Brandon Young (8-2) went into the seventh inning, posting another strong start at Daikin Park, the site of Young’s near perfect game and one-hitter last August as a rookie against Houston.
Young officially went seven innings, and allowed only one earned run on five hits, with seven strikeouts and one walk. He threw 95 pitches.
"B.Y. was outstanding today," Albernaz said. "Real efficient, attacking the strike zone, and had all his pitches working."
Gunnar Henderson got things going offensively, with an RBI single in the third to score Jackson Holliday, then Henderson scored on a Pete Alonso steal to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead. "Played a little small ball," Albernaz said.
Following an RBI double by Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Leody Taveres had a two RBI single in the fifth that made it 4-1, and Coby Mayo hit a solo homer in the sixth to centerfield, his 13th long ball of the season.
Dylan Beavers went 2-for-4 with a double, while Jose Altuve provided Houston's offensive highlight with a solo home run and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Astros right-handed starter Hunter Brown lasted 4 2/3 innings, and allowed four earned runs on three hits, with six walks, taking the loss.
Grant Wolfram closed it out with a scoreless ninth to collect the save.
The Orioles now head to Boston for a three-game series with the Red Sox, who are the only team in the American League hotter than the Baltimore. Boston (50-48) won its 13th straight game today, beating division-leading Tampa Bay.
The O’s leap-frogged Houston (47-54) in the AL wild-card race with a win in the opening game of this series.
It’ll be a tougher challenge in Boston, but if Baltimore can do the same as they did in Houston, and sweep the Red Sox, they’d jump Boston in the standings, too and likely hold the final AL wild-card slot, with two-plus months left in the regular season still, but notable.
So are some new injuries the Orioles must deal with.