Orioles 4, Astros 1
Orioles 4, Astros 1: Chris Tillman allowed one run in seven innings and visiting Baltimore ended Houston’s six-game winning streak.
Tillman (5-2) surrendered four hits while pitching at least seven innings for the third time this season, Tommy Hunter worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his 19th save. The bottom three hitters in the Baltimore order, J.J. Hardy, Ryan Flaherty and Danny Valencia, combined to go 5-for-12 with a home run and two RBIs.
Brandon Barnes had two hits for the Astros, including a solo home run. Houston starter Lucas Harrell (4-7) pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits without walking a batter.
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the third when Valencia led off with a home run. Manny Machado doubled with one out, took third on a wild pitch and scored when a grounder by Adam Jones went through the legs of Houston first baseman Chris Carter.
Tillman was cruising along until Barnes homered with one out in the sixth to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Orioles added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings, the first on a throwing error by Houston catcher Jason Castro, leading to Baltimore’s second unearned run of the game.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Astros conducted a pregame ceremony to honor the four Houston firefighters killed in a fire last week. … Orioles C Taylor Teagarden came off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a left thumb injury and the club designated C Chris Snyder for assignment. .. Orioles OF Nick Markakis was scheduled to leave the team following the game to attend his grandmother’s funeral and will miss Wednesday's and Thursday’s games.