Live Audio: Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
While the Baltimore Orioles have lived up to their reputation as a homer-happy club, the visiting Houston Astros held their own in that department to even their four-game series at one win apiece. With the clubs combining for 17 blasts in the first two contests, the Astros and Orioles will look to continue to test the limits of Camden Yards when they reconvene on Saturday night.
Manny Machado belted a three-run homer in Thursday's 13-5 triumph before launching a two-run shot the following night in a 15-8 setback to improve to 6-for-19 with three homers, seven RBIs and five runs scored versus Houston this season. While Baltimore fell for the third time in four outings and remained 1 1/2 games behind American League East-leading Toronto, the Astros snapped a five-game skid to move within 5 1/2 games of the Orioles for the second wild-card spot. Jose Altuve homered and drove in five RBIs on Friday to improve to 30-for-73 with 18 runs driven in and 11 scored in August and George Springer also went deep among his four hits. Both stars have struggled versus Saturday starter Chris Tillman, however, as Altuve is 2-for-14 versus the right-hander while Springer is just 2-for-11.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), WJZ, MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Mike Fiers (8-6, 4.66 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (15-4, 3.46)
After being fortunate to walk away with a win despite allowing three homers, Fiers permitted two more and yielded five runs total in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss at Toronto on Sunday. Homers have been an issue this season for the 31-year-old, who has been taken deep 22 times in 23 appearances (125 2/3 frames). Fiers has also struggled on the road, as his ERA (6.27) is over a run and a half greater than his season total while his 1.61 WHIP and .313 batting average against leave plenty to be desired.
Tillman's shoulder discomfort was reason enough for the Orioles to keep the 28-year-old from making his scheduled start on Wednesday. Tillman reported no issues throwing off flat ground the following day and is ready to make his first start since Aug. 11, when he allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings of a 9-6 triumph at Oakland. Tillman split his first four career starts versus Houston before settling for a no-decision despite yielding two runs on three hits in seven innings in his last encounter on May 24.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis has four homers in his last three games and RF Mark Trumbo has gone deep in back-to-back contests and five of his last eight overall.
2. Houston rookie 3B Alex Bregman has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 contests, highlighted by an 8-for-18 stretch with two homers and six RBIs during his current four-game hitting streak.
3. Astros 1B Marwin Gonzalez is 0-for-12 with five strikeouts in his last three contests.
PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Astros 4
