Greinke, Astros beat Orioles 3-1 for 9th straight win

Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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Dusty Baker has been close to long plenty of to know what it normally takes for a team to get on a lengthy profitable streak.

Soon after watching Zack Greinke stymie the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night for Houston’s ninth straight victory, Baker was requested to explain the cause powering the Astros’ most prosperous operate since the 2019 year.

“We’re finding great commencing pitching,” the longtime manager declared. “That’s where by it commences.”

Greinke took a 4-hitter into the eighth inning and Myles Straw experienced two RBIs in Houston’s gritty 3-1 get. A person night earlier, starter Jake Odorizzi pitched five hitless innings to spark a 10-two rout of the lowly Orioles.

Greinke (8-two) allowed one operate and five hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk above seven 1/3 innings. Struggling with the Orioles for the to start with time since 2010, the 37-year-previous righty permitted only one runner past 2nd foundation in reducing his Era to 3.fifty six.

The eighteen-year veteran attributed his stable outing to re-finding his command of the fastball.

“It hasn’t been that terrific,” Greinke acknowledged. “I simply cannot recall when it was great. It is been a although.”

On this night, he was overpowering.

“The dude is aware how to pitch,” Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart mentioned. “He’s been finding outs and doing this for a long, long time. He keeps you off stability with fastball, curveball, changeup.”

Brooks Raley obtained two strikeouts in the eighth and Ryan Pressly finished for his 11th conserve in 12 tries.

Straw strike a solo shot in the 2nd inning and singled in the tiebreaking operate in the seventh right before Chas McCormick included a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

“He’s applying the full area, he’s turning on the ball,” Baker mentioned of Straw, the No. 8 hitter in the lineup. “We’re just happy he’s doing his factor. We require him, specially at the bottom of the purchase there.”

Riding their longest streak since a 10-game operate in Might 2019, the Astros individual the most effective document in the AL (forty five-28). Houston has won 7 straight collection following getting the to start with two of this three-game established.

Baltimore has shed 12 of 13 and owns the AL’s worst document (23-50). Ideal-hander Jorge López (two-nine) gave up two operates and five hits above 6 1/3 innings but was outdone by Greinke.

Straw set the Astros up 1- with his 3rd residence operate in 432 vocation at-bats. The liner to left was to begin with ruled a double, but the contact was overturned following a replay showed the ball clearing the seven-foot wall — and the glove of leaping outfielder Austin Hays — right before bouncing back on to the area.

Baltimore utilised a walk, a single and a fly ball by Cedric Mullins to tie it in the 3rd.

López was lifted in the seventh following McCormick led off with an infield strike. Straw greeted Hunter Harvey with an opposite-area bloop to proper that landed in entrance of a diving Stewart, and by the time the outfielder retrieved the ball and obtained it to the plate, McCormick experienced now scored.

Rest FOR THE WEARY

Astros SS Carlos Correa was specified the day off following going the distance Monday night in a game that lasted 3:40 and highlighted rain delays totaling 1 hour, forty one minutes. Baker originally planned to sit Correa later this week in Detroit right before the Monday marathon “kind of messed up our options.”

TRAINER’S Space

Astros: RHP Pedro Báez (shoulder) threw close to twenty pitches off the mound Tuesday in West Palm Seaside, Florida, and hopes to throw on the facet once more Wednesday. “He mentioned his shoulder is experience terrific,” Baker mentioned of the previous Dodgers reliever, who has yet to engage in this year. … OF Kyle Tucker is on the verge of returning following staying positioned on the hurt list on June fifteen with an health issues. … RHP Josh James (left hip surgical procedures) is “about all set to go” on a rehab assignment with Class A Fayetteville, in accordance to Baker.

Orioles: LHP Bruce Zimmermann (biceps tendinitis) will be sidelined at least two or three additional months, manager Brandon Hyde mentioned. The rookie very last pitched on June 13. … OF Anthony Santander skipped a 2nd straight start off with a tender left ankle. He struck out as a pinch-hitter.

ROSTER Transfer

The Orioles chosen the agreement of RH knuckleballer Mickey Jannis from Triple-A Norfolk and designated RHP Mac Sceroler for assignment. Jannis has hardly ever pitched in the majors.

UP Subsequent

Astros RHP José Urquidy (five-3, 3.65 Era) faces rookie RHP Thomas Eshelman (-, 1.ninety three Era) in the collection finale.