Gausman Outdueled Texas, Leads Orioles To 3-2 Victory
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's Kevin Gausman has taken some hard-luck losses when the Orioles' hitters simply could not provide enough run support.
Gausman, however, has never appeared frustrated and has focused on getting better with each outing. The strategy paid off as the former first-round pick picked up perhaps his biggest win of the season in a battle of first-place teams.
Gausman outdueled Texas' ace Cole Hamels, leading the Orioles to a 3-2 victory over the Rangers on Wednesday night.
After a disappointing July where they went 12-14, the Orioles have won three straight to stay atop the American League East. The Rangers lost for only the second time in their past six games but still hold a commanding lead in the AL West.
"We'll look for a sweep tomorrow but anytime you can win a series against a team like that, that's playing real good baseball," Gausman said. "That's a tough lineup, especially with the two guys they just picked up. They obviously have a great pitching staff and now an explosive lineup. When you can beat a team two games in a row like that, it's huge."
Gausman (3-8) allowed two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings. It was only his third win in 19 starts this season. He was helped by some nifty grabs by shortstop J.J. Hardy and second baseman Jonathan Schoop.
Matt Wieters had a pair of RBIs for the Orioles, who improved to 39-16 at Camden Yards -- the best home record in the majors. Zach Britton picked up his American League-leading 33rd save for Baltimore.
"If you look at our schedule, it's a top-rated schedule the rest of the way," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "You know what? Our guys are pretty good, too. They enjoy the competition. They don't shirk from it. They like people telling them they shouldn't be able to do it. They like proving people wrong. They've done that for quite a while."
Hamels (12-3) struggled with his command early before regaining control. He allowed all three of his runs in the first and gave up four hits with six strikeouts and four walks over seven innings.
"You want to be able to go out there and get ahead," Hamels said. "Sometimes you are not able to find it in that first inning and that will definitely cost you. More times than not, you can try to scratch out a win, but it's definitely my fault with not being able to establish a strike zone in those key situations."
Carlos Beltran hit his first homer for the Rangers since being traded from the Yankees on Monday with a solo shot in the opening inning.
"It's always good. Any time you are capable of doing something positive for the team," Beltran said. "The fact that I got my first hit here it's good. It's good to get it out of the way."
The early part of the game has been a struggle for Gausman, who has allowed nine of his team-high 20 home runs in the first inning this season.
Baltimore got its first run when Adam Jones scored on a fielder's choice by Mark Trumbo. Hamels loaded the bases later that inning on a pair of walks before allowing a two-RBI base hit to Wieters.
The Rangers responded in the second with an RBI single by newly acquired Jonathan Lucroy that pulled them to within 3-2. Gausman got out of the jam by striking out Jurickson Profar after throwing 35 pitches in the inning.
"We had opportunities we couldn't get enough going there to push any more runs across," Astros manager Jeff Banister said.