Despite playing 11 innings on Saturday, Baltimore optioned reliever Cam Sanders and recalled third catcher Sam Huff. Samuel Basallo started today’s game behind the dish, but Huff’s presence indicated that Adley Rutschman was likely unavailable.
Huff was thrust into action in the second inning when Samuel Basallo left the game with right shoulder discomfort. The change could have thrown off Brandon Young and the Orioles, but the starter put the team on his back. Young tossed seven strong innings, and the Orioles won their seventh straight game with a 5-2 result in Houston.
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The Orioles struck first in the top of the third inning. Jackson Holliday worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gunnar Henderson lined a ball 106 MPH into left field for a run-scoring base hit. Taylor Ward popped out, but Dylan Beavers smoked a ball with Henderson in motion to place runners on the corners with one out.
Pete Alonso took three straight balls, and Beavers broke for second on the fourth pitch of the at bat. The throw beat Beavers, but the home plate umpire initially called the pitch ball four. After throwing through, Houston catcher Yainer Diaz tapped his helmet. ABS revealed that the pitch was actually a strike, and Beavers was ruled out at second base. Craig Albernaz came out for a chat but failed to sway the umpires. Alonso eventually made his way to first when Houston starter Hunter Brown threw another pitch outside of the strike zone.
Beavers running was a bit of surprise, but nobody expected Alonso to break for second. With Huff at the dish, the Polar Bear got a big lead. Alonso took off, and Diaz threw through once again. This time Alonso beat the throw, and Henderson dashed home for the second run of the inning. Huff eventually struck out to end the frame.
Young was tremendous, but he failed to deliver a shutdown inning in the third. Jose Altuve lined a one-out double to left, and Yordan Alvarez drove him in with a double of his own. Young, to his credit, retired Isaac Paredes and LaMonte Wade Jr. to escape with the lead still intact.
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Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, but Baltimore put some distance between the two teams in the fifth. Taylor Ward took a one-out and walk, and Pete Alonso took a 95-MPH sinker to the stomach with two outs. Brown had been wild all day, but Alonso appeared miffed after the pitch. The slugger took his free base, and Huff worked Baltimore’s sixth walk of the game to load the bases.
The Astros left Brown in to face Leody Taveras, and Taveras jumped on a first pitch changeup outside of the zone. Taveras went with the pitch and punched an opposite field single to score Ward and Alonso. The Astros summoned left-hander Bryan King to face Colton Cowser, and Cowser bounced out to end the inning at 4-1.
Young posted another zero, and Houston left King in to face Coby Mayo in the sixth. Mayo took advantage of the matchup with a solo shot to right-center field. The blast provided a nice insurance run for Young and the Orioles.
The Texas native allowed a two-out single in the seventh, but Cowser made a nice running catch to end the frame. Young left the game with 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB and 7 K.
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Baltimore turned to Rico Garcia in the eighth, and the reliever briefly made things interesting. Altuve smacked a leadoff homer to the Crawford Boxes to trim the lead to three. Garcia retired Alvarez, but Paredes managed a swinging bunt to Garcia’s right. The righty fielded the ball but threw wide of first base. The throwing error allowed Paredes to reach scoring position, but he never crossed the plate. Garcia struck out Wade Jr. and generated a grounder from Diaz to end the threat.
Grant Wolfram picked up his first save of the season with a clean ninth inning.
The Orioles moved to 49-51 with the win. The Birds will carry some momentum up north but will face the only team hotter than them. Boston won its 13th straight game today. Shane Baz will face rookie Payton Tolle tomorrow at 7:10.
Young pitched seven strong innings and made an impressive kick save in the first. Mayo finished 2-for-4 with a home run, and Wolfram recorded his first career save. Huff finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, but he took a walk and caught a good game from the starter. Let us know your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the game in the comments below.
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