Myles Straw homered and drove in two runs while starter Zack Greinke threw 7 1/3 strong innings as the visiting Houston Astros extended their winning streak to nine games with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday.
Houston now has won 13 of its last 15. This loss gave Baltimore a four-game losing streak.
Greinke (8-2) befuddled the struggling Orioles offense. He allowed one run on five hits, struck out four and walked one, remaining in control until leaving in the eighth.
Ryan Pressly closed it in the ninth and earned his 11th save this season.
Baltimore starter Jorge Lopez (2-9) threw 6 1/3 innings in his longest start this season. He allowed two runs on five hits and also struck out six with two walks.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second on a Straw homer to left. At first, Straw and both teams thought it was a double as the ball flew just over the glove of Austin Hays in left and bounced from the top of the wall back to the field.
Straw stopped at second but the play was reviewed and ruled to be a home run.
Baltimore tied it in the third. Pedro Severino walked with one out and went to third on a Pat Valaika single. Cedric Mullins then lined a shot to center that Straw made a diving catch on, but Severino scored on the sacrifice fly.
Straw was involved again when the Astros took the lead in the top of the seventh. Lopez gave up a one-out infield single to Chas McCormick before being replaced by Hunter Harvey.
Harvey was greeted by Straw's half-swing bloop to right that DJ Stewart dove for but couldn't catch. The ball rolled a few feet, and McCormick came around from first for a 2-1 Houston lead.
The Astros added a run in the eighth. They loaded the bases with no outs against Tanner Scott before Cole Sulser came out. He gave up a sacrifice fly to McCormick with one out for a two-run Houston lead.
Baltimore made a few moves before the game, selecting the contract of knuckleballer Mickey Jannis from Triple-A Norfolk while designating pitcher Mac Sceroler for assignment.
--Field Level Media
Houston | Baltimore | |
Zack Greinke | Player | Jorge Lopez |
Win | W/L | Loss |
7.1 | IP | 6.1 |
4 | Strikeouts | 6 |
5 | Hits | 5 |
1.23 | ERA | 2.84 |
Houston | Baltimore | |
Myles Straw | Player | Ryan Mountcastle |
2 | Hits | 2 |
2 | RBI | 0 |
1 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 2 |
.500 | Avg | .500 |