Kyle Tucker’s Ninth-inning grand slam off Felix Bautista lifts Astros to 7-6 victory over Orioles

BALTIMORE — Kyle Tucker’s grand slam off Félix Bautista within the prime of the ninth inning gave the Houston Astros a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday evening.

Houston trailed 5-0 after Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman homered off Framber Valdez within the first and second innings, however the Astros pulled off a exceptional comeback within the ninth towards arguably the sport’s most dominant nearer.

Pinch-hitter Jon Singleton led off the ninth with a stroll, and Jose Altuve adopted with a single. Bautista (6-2) struck out Alex Bregman, however Yordan Alvarez got here inside a number of toes of tying it with a drive to middle. Jorge Mateo – a shortstop making solely his second begin of the 12 months in middle discipline – robbed Alvarez of an extra-base hit earlier within the recreation, however he couldn’t catch this one, and the ball bounced off the wall for a really lengthy single.

Tucker then battled Bautista for 9 pitches, lastly hitting a 100 mph fastball to right-center discipline for his twentieth house run of the 12 months. Bautista had allowed solely 5 earned runs all season earlier than Houston scored 4 on him in two-thirds of an inning.

Ryne Stanek (3-1) received in aid, and Ryan Pressly pitched an ideal ninth for his twenty seventh save in 31 possibilities.

Baltimore’s lead over Tampa Bay atop the AL East dropped to 2 video games. Houston entered the evening three behind Texas within the AL West, with the Rangers taking part in later at Oakland.

Mountcastle’s 472-foot drive over each bullpens in left-center discipline at Camden Yards was the ballpark’s longest homer by an Oriole since Statcast started monitoring in 2015. That gave Baltimore a 2-0 lead and ended – after two batters – any likelihood of a repeat no-hitter by Valdez. The Houston left-hander threw one towards Cleveland in his earlier begin.

Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez allowed two runs and 6 hits in six innings. Valdez yielded six runs and eight hits in seven innings.

After Mountcastle gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead, Ramón Urías hit a one-out triple within the second when Tucker dropped the ball in entrance of the wall in proper discipline. Urías scored on James McCann’s gentle grounder to the pitcher when Valdez’s throw house couldn’t get him. One out later, Rutschman’s two-run homer made it 5-0.

The Astros loaded the bases with one out within the third, however managed solely two runs on Tucker’s single and Yainer Diaz’s sacrifice fly. McCann hit a sacrifice fly of his personal within the fourth.

Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde was ejected by first base umpire Edwin Moscoso after Houston’s Jeremy Peña was known as secure on an in depth play at first within the sixth. The Orioles had already had an unsuccessful problem, and this play wasn’t reviewed even after Hyde got here out to speak to Moscoso.

After Moscoso tossed him, Hyde grew to become extra animated, at one level throwing his hat on the bottom.

Peña hit an RBI single within the eighth to make it 6-3.

Mountcastle’s homer will not be the longest general at Camden Yards within the Statcast period. Carlos Correa – then with Houston – hit one in 2019 that was 474 toes.

FAN RESPONSE

Spectators chanted “Free Kevin Brown!” on a number of events in response to experiences that the broadcaster was taken off the air over his feedback on a MASN-TV broadcast that talked about the Orioles’ struggles at Tampa Bay lately. An Orioles official mentioned Monday the staff appeared ahead to having Brown again quickly.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: Urías exited the sport with left heel discomfort. … LHP John Means (left elbow surgical procedure) is ready to start a rehab project Thursday with Double-A Bowie.

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