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Astros slug four homers to beat Orioles in wild win

Astros Carlos Correa
The Astros beat the Orioles, 9-8. Composite image by Jack Brame.

Christian Walker homered for a third-straight game and the Houston Astros went deep four times in a 9-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.

Carlos Correa, Jesús Sánchez and Victor Caratini homered in a five-run first inning against Orioles starter Dean Kremer. Walker added a go-ahead two-run shot in the seventh inning, his 19th of the season, off Dietrich Enns (1-2).

The Astros banged out 11 hits and moved within a victory of their first four-game sweep since Aug. 29-Sept. 1 2024. Houston has scored 26 runs in the series after entering on a four-game skid in which they were outscored 30-2.

AJ Blubaugh (2-1) allowed two runs in four innings of relief for Houston, which began the night two games in front of Seattle atop the AL West. Bryan King allowed one run in the eighth, and Bryan Abreu worked a perfect ninth for his third save.

Colton Cowser homered and had three RBIs for Baltimore, which rallied to tie after trailing 5-0 and 7-5 but never led. Jeremiah Jackson added his first MLB homer in the fourth.

Key moment

After a nervy eighth, Abreu needed only nine pitches to shut the door, striking out Ryan Mount Castle and coaxing grounders from Cowser and Samuel Basallo.

Key stat

Walker is the second Astros player to homer in three consecutive games this season. Isaac Paredes did it April 11-13.

Up next

The Astros will go for the series sweep by sending RHP Spencer Arrighetti (1-4, 6.94 ERA) against Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers (6-2, 1.41) on Sunday.

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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