Alberto Suárez StreetRight-hander Albert Suárez has had a solid season overall, but a few days ago, he encountered a roadblock in New York following a string of recent excellent starts. The pitcher who entered that start at Yankee Stadium with an ERA of 1.61 had another rough ride today in Houston.
In three and a half innings in the Bronx, he gave up three runs and five walks. He was much more involved in the game tonight; perhaps he was in the zone too much at the beginning when the Astros came out swinging.
This afternoon, Houston swept the three-game series thanks to a good start by left-hander Framber Valdez and 15 hits, including four runs on six singles in the final inning of the first.
The O’s arrived in town on a high after winning the series and 17-5 at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. They had won series against the Rays, Braves, Phillies, and Yankees in 16 of their previous 20 games, but they were winless at Minute Maid Park this past weekend.
They are 49-28, swept for the second time this season (also at St. Louis, May 20–22), and they will host Cleveland on Monday night at home.
The Orioles return to Baltimore to play the Guardians before hosting Texas. They have lost four of their last six games and six of their last ten.
As the Orioles wrap up their 2-4 road trip, they are still 1 1/2 games behind the leaders in the American League East following Atlanta’s 3-1 victory against the New York Yankees this afternoon.
On the opening pitch of the home run, Suárez allowed second baseman Jose Altuve to hit a home run. Despite this, Houston continued to swing, seeing just 22 pitches while nine men batted that inning. With his third leadoff home run of the year and his 38th career, Altuve opened it with a hit at No. 12.
The first of his four hits, a double to left, was Alex Bregman’s response to the home run. Three consecutive hits that scored runs came after one out. It was 2-0 after a Yainer Diaz single. Hit 107 mph off the bat to left, he scored on Jeremy Peña’s double, and at 101, Mauricio Dubón’s RBI single made it 4-0.
Suárez gave up six hits in the first inning, more than he had given up in six of his eight prior starts, while playing Houston for the first time in his career.
In the last of the third inning, he stranded two after getting a double play in the scoreless second. However, Bregman’s double with one out in the fourth sent runners to second and third, and Diaz’s sacrifice fly gave the team a 5-0 lead following an intentional walk.
Suárez completes five innings on 78 pitches, dropping his ERA to 2.70 and his record to 3-2. With five runs to tie his career high and a career-high 10 hits allowed, his final line was impressive. When he pitched for the San Francisco Giants against Boston on July 20, 2016, he had previously allowed five runs in a major league game.
His leadership proved to be his undoing in New York. It was loud, early contact today. The Astros hit three balls at least 101 mph in the first inning, and then hit two more at least 102 mph in the fourth.
In the sixth inning, the Orioles scored against Valdez. Jordan Westburg, a native of Texas, scored two home runs in a row. He drove No. 13 366 feet to left to tie the score at one.
Peña’s two-run double off Dillon Tate in the sixth inning gave Houston further insurance. With it, the Astros led 7-1 and he had a three-RBI day. In the eighth, Diaz capped the scoring with a sac fly off Nick Vespi, giving him a day with three RBI.
The last two days, Houston has won by a total score of 13-2, following their thrilling 14-11 victory on Friday night.
playing the O’s once a season for the previous two years. After 12 and a third innings against the Orioles, Valdez has given up 13 runs (10 earned). However, he had them beat today, giving up just one run in seven innings on 104 pitches with six hits. With a 3.68 ERA, he is currently 6-5.
For the first time this season, the O’s have scored one run in back-to-back games. And it comes after they scored 28 runs in two games.
Tanner Bibee (5-2, 3.65 ERA), a right-hander for the Guardians, will play lefty Cade Povich (0-1, 3.94 ERA) on Monday night at Camden Yards at 6:35 p.m.
Houston triumphs to finish the sweep.
