The Baltimore Orioles will begin a four-game series against the Houston Astros on Thursday, seeking to turn their recent fortunes around. The Orioles, who have struggled lately, are led by starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, who also aims to bounce back from a disappointing performance.
The Orioles, who lost 4-3 to the New York Mets on Wednesday, have dropped four of their last six games. They managed only three hits in the loss, which was decided by Jesse Winker’s pinch-hit solo home run in the ninth inning off Seranthony Dominguez. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde expressed frustration over the team’s offensive struggles. “Tough to win a Major League Baseball game getting three hits,” Hyde said. “With our pitching the way it is right now, we’ve got to be able to score some runs.”
The Astros, who are arriving after losing two of their last three games, have won 11 of their past 14 overall. They are also looking to correct their course after a 4-1 home loss to the Boston Red Sox, their first defeat by more than one run since August 3. Despite recent losses, the Astros have been strong on the road, winning their last eight games away from home.
The Orioles’ bullpen, once reliable, has struggled recently, contributing to the team’s inconsistency. Hyde noted, “We’ve got eight guys in our ‘pen. Trying to find some guys to get hot for us.”
Burnes, who has a 12-5 record and a 3.10 ERA, is aiming to rebound from a rough outing against Boston. On Friday, Burnes allowed a career-high eight runs on 10 hits in just four innings, marking his shortest outing of the season. Prior to that game, the Orioles had won five straight games with Burnes as the starter. “We fell behind and then we had to come on the plate more than we want to,” Burnes said. The Orioles recently adjusted their rotation to give pitchers extra rest, hoping it will help.
The Astros swept the Orioles in a three-game series from June 21-23 in Houston, with a combined score of 27-13. Burnes was tagged with a loss in one of those games, allowing four runs in seven innings. He has struggled against the Astros, posting an 0-2 record with a 6.23 ERA in three career appearances against them.
The Astros will start rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (5-11, 5.20 ERA), who has a 1-4 record with a 4.11 ERA in his last five starts. The team has struggled offensively during this stretch, scoring just 11 runs in those games.
Houston’s Justin Verlander, who made his first start in over two months on Wednesday, pitched five innings, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Verlander felt positive about his performance, saying, “I felt like the stuff was pretty good and as the game went along the location started to hone in.”
Astros infielder Alex Bregman hit a home run on Wednesday but had a day off from playing third base due to a minor elbow issue. “Nothing structurally wrong,” Bregman said. “Some little gremlins causing some swelling in there that I have to try to mitigate through the rest of the year.”
The series kicks off on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at George Jenkins, with both teams eager to regain their winning form.
