The Baltimore Orioles have been in need of something to redirect the trajectory of their second half of the season.
Perhaps they found it, and the completion of a series with the visiting Houston Astros might give an indication if that’s so.
The teams are even at one win apiece in the four-game series going into the Saturday matchup.
The Orioles rode Anthony Santander’s eighth-inning grand slam to a 7-5 comeback victory on Friday.
“It was just a big exhale, it seemed like, in our dugout,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said.
Santander’s 38th home run of the season might have meant more than the four runs that it produced.
“It was a great atmosphere and Santander comes through once again at a time when we really have been scuffling,” Hyde said. “We caught a couple breaks tonight. We haven’t been catching many breaks, either. Just a massive, massive hit for us.”
It was just the third victory in an eight-game stretch for the Orioles, who appeared in danger of losing for the third game in a row.
Perhaps it’s because of that slide that the latest outcome felt more precious for the Orioles. They collectively described a larger-than-normal uplifting feeling following the victory.
“That is a reminder of who we are as a team,” Santander said. “We always stay focused the whole game, we compete for 27 outs.”
The Astros lost for only the fourth time in a 16-game stretch.
“The way I see it, we’ve got to turn the page, flush that one and get ready for (Saturday),” Astros manager Joe Espada said.
Houston will turn to Framber Valdez (13-5, 3.20 ERA) in an attempt to bounce back. The left-hander has won each of his past five starts and is 8-0 while compiling a 2.39 ERA across his past 10 games. That stretch began when he was the winning pitcher on June 23 against the Orioles, holding them to one run on six hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Valdez was only decision in five all-time outings against Baltimore, including four starts. His ERA in those games was 4.08 over 28 2/3 innings.
Albert Suarez (6-4, 3.18 ERA) gets the call for the Orioles. The right-hander has gone three consecutive outings without allowing a run, spanning a total of 17 2/3 innings. However, he picked up only one victory during that stretch, after a six-inning, six-strikeout effort against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Houston tagged Suarez for five runs and 10 hits in five innings when he took the loss on June 23 in his only career outing against the Astros.
Baltimore might have a roster decision to make on Saturday. Center fielder Cedric Mullins exited the Friday game because of quad tightness ahead of the fifth inning after making a run-saving catch in the second inning.
“I’m hoping it’s just day-to-day,” Hyde said. “That was an incredible catch there. I don’t know if he did it on that play or not, but that saved a run, also.”
On Friday, the Orioles reinstated Keegan Akin from paternity leave and optioned fellow left-handed reliever Nick Vespi back to Triple-A Norfolk.
–Field Level Media