Thursday's game at Camden Yards saw the Baltimore Orioles triumph 5-4 over the Houston Astros. This victory extends their streak to 76 consecutive series, the fifth longest in baseball history.
Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle contributed with a homer and two RBIs each. Rutschman, along with James McCann, secured two hits apiece as the Orioles managed to salvage the concluding match of the three-game series.
McCann recognized the formidable Houston lineup, highlighting their consistently strong performances and versatile strengths.
"They give you a good at-bat every time," McCann said. "They hurt you in so many different ways. It's one of those grinder series where you've got to find a way, find a way to navigate the lineup and get through those guys."
Dean Kremer (11-4) delivered a strong performance, pitching seven solid innings to clinch his first victory since July 14.
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Dramatic ninth inning
The score stood at 5-3 when Félix Bautista entered the ninth inning, having previously conceded a grand slam to Kyle Tucker, leading to their loss in a prior game. A one-out double by Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman's walk set the stage for the potential go-ahead run.
However, catcher McCann managed to grasp Yordan Alvarez's foul pop with skillful balance despite losing his footing, preventing any advancement.
Subsequently, Tucker's at-bat resulted in a walk that loaded the bases. This was followed by Yainer Diaz, who hit a line drive toward the left side.
While third baseman Ramón Urías attempted a diving catch without success, he did manage to impede the ball's complete passage, limiting the scoring to just one run.
Addressing the game's dynamic, Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde remarked, "I think Bregman and Tucker and Alvarez, I think they hit every inning."
"I'm just going to check and see if they were hitting out of order, because I feel like they hit eight times a game."
Bringing the inning to a close, Bautista got Jon Singleton out on a popup, marking his 31st successful save among 37 chances.
After falling behind in the series' first two games, the Orioles took charge right from the start in the final game.
Urías showcased a diving stop on Altuve's ground ball as the game began, and Rutschman immediately set Baltimore ahead with a solid hit to the left field in the bottom of the first inning.
In the fifth inning, both left fielder Ryan O'Hearn and second baseman Adam Frazier showcased impressive defensive prowess for the Orioles. Building on their momentum, Mountcastle's two-run homer extended their lead to 5-2 in the seventh.
With this victory, the Orioles — currently leading the AL East — are embarking on a nine-game western journey, with scheduled stops in Seattle, San Diego and Oakland.
In the upcoming matches, Baltimore will have Kyle Gibson (11-6) as their starting pitcher on Friday night, facing off against Seattle's Luis Castillo (7-7).
On the other hand, Houston will head back home to go against the Los Angeles Angels, featuring Justin Verlander (6-6) on the mound for the Astros, while Reid Detmers (2-8) will be pitching for the Angels.