On Thursday night, the Houston Astros dominated the Baltimore Orioles with a 6-0 victory, extending their lead in the AL West to a season-high 5 1/2 games. Spencer Arrighetti outpitched Corbin Burnes, allowing only three hits in six innings, while Burnes struggled, giving up five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Ben Gamel, in his Houston debut, drove in two runs with RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings. This win marked the Astros’ ninth straight road victory, their longest streak since 2018.
The Astros, who have made a remarkable turnaround since their 7-19 start, now hold a comfortable lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. Meanwhile, the Orioles fell further behind the New York Yankees in the AL East.
Despite all of the hits off Burnes being singles, they proved to be costly as they came in two key innings for the Astros. Other contributors to the Astros’ offense included Yordan Alvarez and Jake Meyers, who also drove in runs. Gamel’s impressive performance was his first multihit game since 2022.
After the game, Astros manager Joe Espada praised Gamel’s bat-to-ball skills and ability to succeed against Burnes. In terms of injuries, Alex Bregman was placed at DH due to elbow issues, and RHP Zach Eflin is expected to return for the Orioles in early September from a shoulder injury.
Looking ahead, Hunter Brown will start for the Astros against Baltimore’s rookie pitcher Cade Povich. Brown has been performing well with a 10-2 record and a 2.33 ERA since June. The Astros will be aiming to maintain their momentum as they continue their quest for the AL West title.
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