
The Astros beat the Nationals, 7-4. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubón each had three hits, and the Houston Astros beat the Washington Nationals 7-4 on Tuesday night to stop a five-game slide.
EL MATÍN. 😤 pic.twitter.com/6luKH1Nxub
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 30, 2025
Christian Walker had two hits and two RBIs for the AL West-leading Astros. Bennett Sousa (5-0) got four outs for the win, and Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save.
Luis García Jr. hit a two-run drive for last-place Washington, which had won three straight and five of seven overall. CJ Abrams had three hits.
García connected for his ninth homer in the third inning, lifting the Nationals to a 2-1 lead. But Diaz responded with a solo shot in the fourth for his 14th homer.
Walker singled and scored on Cooper Hummel’s pinch-hit single in the fifth, and the Astros grabbed control with three more runs in the sixth.
Altuve singled home Dubón for a 4-2 lead, and Walker followed with a two-run single against Andry Lara.
Andrew Chafin (1-1) took the loss.
Washington right-hander Michael Soroka allowed two runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings in his final start before Thursday’s trade deadline.
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Crucial elements that could boost Astros' edge against Orioles
Aug 22, 2025, 5:08 pm
The Houston Astros will try to build on Thursday’s bounce-back victory when they continue their series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at Camden Yards.
Houston (70-58) ended a four-game skid with a 7-2 win in the opener, powered by Jesús Sánchez’s five-hit breakout and home runs from Christian Walker and Yainer Díaz. The victory evened the season series at 2-2 and kept the Astros a game over .500 on the road at 32-31.
Lance McCullers takes the mound for Houston, making his return from the injured list (blister). The right-hander has long been a stabilizing presence when healthy, and the Astros are counting on him after their rotation posted a 6.02 ERA over the last 10 games.
Baltimore (59-68) counters with Cade Povich, who enters 2-6 with a 4.98 ERA but has shown flashes of missing bats with 90 strikeouts. The Orioles have been at their best when keeping the ball in the yard, holding a 27-14 mark in games where opponents don’t homer.
Offensively, Baltimore leans on Jackson Holliday, who ranks second on the team with 34 extra-base hits, and Jordan Westburg, who’s 11 for his last 37 with a pair of home runs. For Houston, Díaz has emerged as a key run producer with 18 homers and 55 RBIs, while Carlos Correa has strung together an 11-for-39 stretch over his last 10 games.
Both clubs are trending differently of late—Baltimore has won six of its last 10 while outscoring opponents by 18 runs, while Houston has dropped six of 10 with a .193 team batting average and been outscored by 38 runs.
First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Betting odds
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Orioles -112, Astros -107; over/under is 9 1/2 runs
Roster Moves
Besides McCullers rejoining the roster, Houston also made some other moves. Newly acquired RHP Craig Kimbrel has joined the club in Baltimore. LHP Bennett Sousa heads to the 15-day IL(No!!!) with elbow inflammation. RHP Logan VanWey is returning to Sugar Land, and Brandon Walter has been moved to the 60-day IL.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/QyRnbpYq5D
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 22, 2025
Starting lineup
With a lefty on the mound, Joe Espada opts to shake things up with an all right-handed lineup. The top 3 in the lineup remain the same with Pena, Correa, and Altuve (DH).
LMJ Day.
⚾️: 6:05pm CDT | 7:05pm EDT
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/jxOk5CYPaK
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 22, 2025
Coming off a strong performance, Christian Walker (1B) will hit cleanup, followed by Yainer Diaz (C), Ramon Urias (2B), Mauricio Dubon (LF), Cam Smith (RF), and Chas McCormick (CF).
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