ASTROS SPLIT THE SERIES

Back-to-back homers from Alex Bregman, Yainer Diaz push Astros past Orioles 6-3

Astros Alex Bregman
Astros defeat the Orioles, 6-3. Composite image by Jack Brame.

Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz hit solo homers on consecutive pitches in the seventh inning, lifting the Houston Astros to a 6-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night and a split of the four-game series.

Ramón Urías hit a three-run shot for the Orioles to tie the game in the fifth, but Bregman and Diaz went deep in the seventh off Burch Smith (2-1) to give Houston a 5-3 edge.

Hector Neris (1-0) got four outs in his first appearance since coming back to the Astros this week. The right-hander had been released by the Chicago Cubs. Bryan Abreu pitched the eighth, and Josh Hader finished for his 28th consecutive save since blowing his first opportunity this season.

Houston remained 4 1/2 games ahead of Seattle atop the AL West, and Baltimore fell 1 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East.

Astros left fielder Mauricio Dubón was shaken up after making a spectacular running catch in the corner before crashing into the wall. Dubón went on a lengthy sprint deep into the corner before making a backhanded grab in fair territory on a flyball by Urías but couldn’t stop himself before slamming into the wall.

Dubón remained down for a while but was able to walk off the field. That was the last out of the seventh, and Houston pinch-hit for him in the eighth. Jake Meyers, the replacement batter, came through with a sacrifice fly to put the Astros up by three.

Yusei Kikuchi held the Orioles hitless until the fifth inning, when Eloy Jiménez led off with a single. A one-out walk set the stage for Urías, who hit a drive into the Baltimore bullpen. The homer tied the game at 3 and gave reliever Cionel Pérez a chance to show off his trick — catching home runs in his hat — for a national television audience.

But the Orioles managed just those two hits in the game.

Houston took a 3-0 lead in the fourth thanks to five straight two-out hits. Jeremy Peña, who was running with the pitch, was able to score all the way from first on Victor Caratini's single to left-center. Zach Dezenzo added a two-run double.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Slugger Yordan Alvarez (neck) missed a third straight game.

Orioles: 1B Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) and OF Cedric Mullins (quad) did not play.

UP NEXT

Astros: Houston heads to Philadelphia, where Justin Verlander (3-3) starts for the Astros on Monday night against Zack Wheeler (12-6).

Orioles: Baltimore has Monday off before a series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. The Orioles send Cole Irvin (6-5) to the mound Tuesday night against Jack Flaherty (10-5).

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The Astros can breathe a sigh of relief.Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images.

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.

The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.

“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.

Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.

He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.

“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”

His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.

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