The Houston Astros will look to win a three-game series against the host Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night after opening the set in dramatic fashion a night earlier
Trailing 6-3 entering the ninth, the Astros loaded the bases against All-Star closer Felix Bautista before Kyle Tucker capped the rally by hitting a grand slam over the right-center-field fence
"I was just trying to get something over the plate and just kind of grind through it," Tucker said following the Astros' 7-6 win. "I was just able to catch one out in front and time it well and put a good swing on it.
Houston closer Ryan Pressly took care of the rest, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth for his 27th save of the season
The Astros have won six of their last eight games, while the Orioles have lost just twice in their past nine
Baltimore will look to bounce back after its late-inning collapse
"(Bautista) is not going to be perfect, which he has been the entire season," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "Kyle Tucker had an incredible at-bat off him; for him to wait on the fastball and hit it in the seats.
The Orioles were cruising before their ninth-inning debacle, with Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle each hitting a two-run homer. Mountcastle's 472-foot blast that cleared both bullpens in left-center field at Camden Yards was the ballpark's longest homer by an Oriole since Statcast began tracking in 2015
James McCann drove in a pair of runs for the Orioles, who led 5-0 after two innings. But Tucker changed the narrative with one swing
"It happens to everybody," Mountcastle said. "It is what it is.
The Astros will look to win the series behind Cristian Javier (7-2, 4.39 ERA). The right-hander is coming off one of his shortest outings of the season. He allowed three runs on four hits, including two homers, with four strikeouts and three walks against the host New York Yankees last Thursday
Javier has pitched well against the Orioles the past two seasons. He's 0-1 with a 1.42 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks over four appearances, including one start, spanning 12 2/3 innings
The Orioles will counter Wednesday with right-hander Jack Flaherty (8-6, 4.28), who was acquired last week from the St. Louis Cardinals
Flaherty was dominant in his Orioles' debut last Thursday, holding the host Toronto Blue Jays to one run on four hits over six innings with eight strikeouts in a 6-1 win
"It was fun," Flaherty said. "New energy, new everything. Sometimes that can be a little tricky, but (catcher Rutschman) was awesome back there.
Flaherty hasn't faced the Astros since July 2019, when he settled for a no-decision despite allowing two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and a walk in six innings
--Field Level Medi