A season that began with an Orioles sweep of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park reached its midpoint Wednesday night with a 5-2 win over the Houston Astros, clinching a series sweep that’s just as improbable.
There were plenty of losing streaks in between as the Orioles hit the 81-game mark of the season at 27-54 and on pace for 108 losses, including 20 straight losses on the road, tied for the fourth longest streak in Major League Baseball history. Series like these though against an Astros (48-33) team that has been one of the best in baseball of late show that, at the very least, the Orioles have better in them in the second half of the season.
The Orioles’ first-inning outburst was enough to win, as they built it on a pair of walks by Cedric Mullins and Trey Mancini that got Houston pitching coach Brent Strom ejected for his objections over the strike zone.
Those two came around to score on a double by the hot-hitting Ryan Mountcastle. Maikel Franco added a run-scoring single, the first of his game-high three hits, and Pedro Severino finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Astros starter Luis García settled in after that and much more resembled the overpowering pitcher he’s been most of the year, but Houston only closed the gap somewhat before Austin Hays came on as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a solo home run in the eighth to give the Orioles a bit of a cushion.
Last time Tanner Scott pitched for the Orioles, he wasn’t able to command his fastball and walked three in a disastrous appearance Monday. He was a different pitcher in his return to the mound Wednesday.
Scott stranded both runners Matt Harvey left for him in the fifth inning, meaning the veteran starter ended his day with two runs allowed on four hits after retiring the first 10 batters he faced.
Then, Scott struck out the side on 13 pitches with a fastball that he commanded at 99 mph in a perfect sixth inning.
After him, there was somewhat unique bullpen usage from manager Brandon Hyde, albeit one that worked. Right-hander Hunter Harvey was warming in the bullpen for the seventh inning, but Paul Fry — who has closed games recently — was shown on the broadcast rushing to get ready and ultimately got the Orioles four outs.
Cole Sulser took over for the last two outs of the eighth and then the ninth for a five-out save.
On the last out, however, Franco appeared to hurt his right leg trying to chase down the foul ball that Ryan McKenna caught for the final out.
