ASTROS DEFEAT ORIOLES
Blanco throws 7 strong innings and McCormick homers twice as Astros beat Orioles
Jun 22, 2024, 5:56 pm
Astros defeat the Orioles, 5-1. Composite Getty Image.
Ronel Blanco pitched seven strong innings and Chas McCormick homered twice to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Yordan Alvarez added a two-run shot to help Houston extend its winning streak to four games.
Blanco (8-2), who threw seven hitless innings in his last start, allowed four hits and a run with three strikeouts for his third straight win.
Alvarez put the Astros on top with his 16th homer, which came off Corbin Burnes (8-3) in the third, and McCormick made it 4-1 in the fifth. McCormick got his fifth career multihomer game when he connected again in the eighth.
Burnes allowed five hits, including a season-high two homers and a season-most four runs in seven innings to snap his career-best streak of 10 consecutive quality starts. He was 5-0 in seven starts since a loss at Washington on May 7.
Jordan Westburg homered in the second for the Orioles, who set a franchise record with 21 straight games with a home run to surpass the 1998 squad's 20-game streak.
Baltimore had troubled stringing hits together Saturday after scoring 28 runs combined in the last two games. The top four batters in their order combined to go 1 for 13 against Blanco and Houston's bullpen.
Ryan Pressly threw a scoreless eighth before Josh Hader struck out two in a perfect ninth to end it.
Westburg connected off Blanco with one out in the second to put the Orioles up 1-0.
Yainer Diaz opened Houston’s second with a triple on a line drive to right field. The Astros tied it when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón with one out.
McCormick singled with no outs in the third and the shot to center field by Alvarez came with two outs to put Houston on top 3-1.
McCormick’s home run to the seats in left field extended the lead to 4-1 with one out in the fifth.
Cedric Mullins tripled off the wall in center with one out in the seventh. Colton Cowser hit a sharp line drive, but was robbed of a hit when shortstop Jeremy Peña made a leaping catch for the second out. Blanco then retired Ramón Urías to end the inning and leave Mullins stranded.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Jake Bloss, who made his major league debut Friday night, was placed on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort.
ROSTER MOVES
Astros: RHP Nick Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday night. ... LHP Bryan King was selected to the MLB roster and RHP Luis Contreras was recalled from Sugar Land on Saturday. … RHP Alex Speas was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (5-5, 3.91 ERA) opposes RHP Albert Suárez (3-1, 2.05) in the series finale Sunday.
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Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 SEC) at No. 1 Texas (4-0, 0-0), Saturday, 4:15 pm ET (SEC Network)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas by 38 1/2.
Series record: 2-2.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Texas makes its long-awaited SEC debut against a Bulldogs team that is beaten up and struggling under first-year coach Jeff Lebby. The Longhorns will be looking to make a statement worthy of No. 1 in its first SEC game. Coach Steve Sarkisian must decide if injured quarterback Quinn Ewers is healthy enough to play or start Arch Manning for a second consecutive game.
KEY MATCHUP
Mississippi State's defensive line vs Texas running back Jaydon Blue. The Bulldogs surrendered a whopping 262 yards rushing to Arizona State's Cam Skattebo, and 226 yards last week against Florida. Blue had a career game for Texas against Louisiana-Monroe last week with 124 yards rushing four total touchdowns.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mississippi State: Freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren will start in front of a road crowd of more than 100,000 against a Texas defense that has given up just two touchdowns and 22 total points this season. Van Buren is 7-of-13 passing for 100 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in two appearances. Regular starter Blake Shapen was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.
Texas: Linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and Liona Lefau have become the Longhorns' all-around playmakers on defense Hill is Texas' leading tackler and has two sacks and an interception. Lefau also has two sacks and recorded a safety last week. Look for Texas to unleash both as blitz pass rushers on Van Buren.
FACTS & FIGURES
Texas ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring defense and No. 5 in overall defense ... The Longhorns have seven interceptions this season, best in the SEC ... Mississippi State has scored in 48 consecutive games dating to Oct. 21, 2020.