Astros 6, Orioles 4
HOUSTON -- Evan Gattis and Luis Valbuena cranked back-to-back home runs in a turnaround third inning as the Houston Astros slugged their way to a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Gattis and Valbuena struck in succession against Orioles right-hander Mike Wright (2-1) to rally the Astros (33-20) from a four-run deficit. Houston right-hander Collin McHugh (6-2) surrendered the early onslaught to the Orioles (23-28) but recovered to pitch effectively.
McHugh allowed four runs -- all in the second inning -- on six hits and two walks while striking out six over seven innings. The tandem of Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson provided stifling relief, with Gregerson striking out the side in the ninth to record his 15th save on the season.
The Astros added an insurance run in the eighth inning in a manner opposite of their early power surge, parlaying two walks, a fly ball to deep center field and a ground ball to the right side of the infield into a two-run lead. Valbuena scored that final tally, making a nifty slide at home to beat the tag of Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph for the sixth run.
For one inning at least, McHugh lugged his May struggles into June. The Orioles sent nine batters to the plate in the second against McHugh, who posted a 5.08 ERA while allowing more than one hit per inning last month. A walk to first baseman Chris Davis started McHugh on a downward spiral Tuesday, setting up a second-inning rally that gave Baltimore a 4-0 lead.
Flaherty capped a streak of three consecutive hits on three successive pitches with his two-run triple to center field, scoring designated hitter Jimmy Paredes and second baseman Steve Pearce, both of whom singled. Two batters after Flaherty gave Baltimore a 3-0 lead, third baseman Manny Machado hit an RBI single.
Other than that significant hiccup, McHugh faced the minimum in five of his first six innings. His recovery enabled the Astros to rally, and they did so with one powerful turn of their lineup in the bottom of the third.
After three successive singles by right fielder George Springer, second baseman Jose Altuve and left fielder Preston Tucker, with Tucker plating Springer with his hit to right field, Gattis and Valbuena struck back-to-back home runs against Orioles right-hander Mike Wright. Gattis' blast to left field, his 12th, brought home Altuve and Tucker and tied the score at 4.
Valbuena followed with a solo shot to right, also his 12th, capping the five-run outburst in dramatic fashion.
NOTES: Astros LHP Brett Oberholtzer will remain in the rotation after completing his second start of the season Monday without complication. Oberholtzer allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings and had a no-decision in the Astros' 5-2 win, his first appearance since coming off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a finger blister. He is scheduled to start Saturday at Toronto. ... Orioles SS J.J. Hardy underwent an MRI on his sore left side roughly an hour before first pitch. Hardy was held out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive game after experiencing discomfort before early batting practice Monday. ... Astros C Jason Castro will remain on the active roster, but his status for the remainder of the series is cloudy after he sustained a right knee contusion in the series opener when hit by a pitch.