Jun 28, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Pedro Severino (28) celebrates with relief pitcher Adam Plutko (35) after the Orioles defeated the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Austin Hays’ clutch hitting and strong play in right field overcame a season-high, 10-walk night for Oriole pitchers. Hays’ two-run home run broke a 4-4 ninth-inning tie and started a five-run inning to lead the Orioles to a 9-7 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Monday night.
Last week, Houston beat the Orioles three straight, outscoring them 26-3.
Cedric Mullins led off the ninth with a single, his third hit of the game, against Brandon Bielak (3-2). Hays homered to left, his seventh, and also his third hit. The Orioles had 15 hits.
“There’s nothing more fun as a position player than when the offense is rolling,” Hays said. “That’s what we’ve been missing. We’ve been in a lot of games and we’ve gotten a lot of guys on base. We just haven’t been able to get that big hit when we need to.”
After Trey Mancini struck out, Ryan Mountcastle walked, and Ryan McKenna singled. Mountcastle and McKenna scored on a double by Pedro Severino. A double by Ramón Urías’ scored Severino.
Hays says he’s over the aftereffects of his hamstring injuries.
“I felt really good, probably the last five games,” Hays said. “My pitch selection has gotten a lot better. My at-bats have gotten a lot better. I’m staying within the zone, which I was doing really before I went on the [injured list.]
“I don’t know if it’s getting back to where I was. Maybe I was trying to do a little too much when I first came back. I feel like I’ve settled in, and I’ve gotten back to where I was before the hamstring thing happened.”
Paul Fry (2-2) pitched a perfect eighth but allowed two runs in the ninth. Adam Plutko got the last two outs for his first save, though he issued the 10th walk.
“That’s not the recipe to win against the Houston Astros or any other major league team,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
Hays singled with two outs in the third against Zack Greinke. Mancini, who was hitless in his last 14 at-bats, singled, and Mountcastle followed with a single to center that scored Hays.
Thomas Eshelman gave up no runs in the first three innings. Hays made a leaping catch in right field to take away a home run from Kyle Tucker in the second.
“The ball was hit so high. I was waiting at the wall for such a long time,” Hays said. “That’s why it looked so nonchalant. It wasn’t very far over the fence, and I didn’t have to jump too high.”
In the fourth, Yordan Alvarez walked and moved to third on Carlos Correa’s single. Alvarez scored on Tucker’s sacrifice fly to center.
With two outs, Robel Garcia singled, and Martin Maldonado walked. Eshelman was replaced by Cole Sulser, who walked José Altuve with the bases loaded, scoring Correa, and Houston (48-31) led, 2-1.
Eshelman gave up two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked three and didn’t strike out a batter.
Mullins led off the fifth with a single to right, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Astros catcher Martin Maldonado. With two outs, Mountcastle hit his 14th home run, and the Orioles (25-54) took a 3-2 lead.
Greinke, who limited the Orioles to a run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings on June 22 in Baltimore, gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings.
Sulser recorded five outs but walked three and left with runners on first and second with two out. Hunter Harvey retired the last two batters of the sixth.
Hays singled with one out in the seventh against Blake Taylor. Mancini blooped a single and Mountcastle walked. McKenna hit into a force play, and Hays scored as McKenna beat the throw to the plate. That gave the Orioles a 4-2 lead.
“Keeping Austin Hays healthy and on the field is extremely important,” Hyde said. “He’s still not 100 percent. He’s playing banged up. He’s not moving quite the same. Hopefully, he can be at full strength in the second half. He’s an exciting player and got a lot of tools, and we need him.”
Houston tied it in the bottom of he seventh. Michael Brantley led off with a single and, after Harvey walked Yuli Gurriel, Tanner Scott struck out Alvarez, but walked Correa to load the bases. He then walked Kyle Tucker and Myles Straw to force home two runs and tie the score, 4-4.
Hyde replaced Scott with Tyler Wells, who struck out Robel Garcia looking and Maldonado. Wells bumped his fist after striking out two to get the Orioles out of the jam.
“Bullpen had a tough night and Tyler Wells won us the game—flat out,” Hyde said. “He was an emergency only—and that was an emergency.”
In the ninth, Correa was hit by a pitch with one out. Tucker singled, and pinch-runner Abraham Toro took second. Straw’s single scored Toro, and Garcia’s single scored Tucker to make it 9-6.
Plutko walked Jason Castro, the 10th walk by the Orioles. Altuve’s sacrifice fly scored Straw, and Brantley flied to left, ending a very long evening.
“Any win right now is big for our team,” Hyde said. “I’m happy we won. I wish we wouldn’t have made it so interesting at the end.”
Notes: Domingo Leyba, who had been hitless in his first 27 at-bats in the major leagues this season, singled in the fourth inning. … The time of the game was four hours, 19 minutes, longest of the season. … Hyde hasn’t decided on Tuesday’s starter.
Call for questions: Later this week, I’ll be answering your Orioles questions. Please leave them in the comment box or email them to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com
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Good morning all, especially to dlgruber1!
Maybe dlgruber1 should focus less on harping on Hyde and more on remembering this past Sunday...
Sunday, 6/27 - Hyde lets Lopez throw 100 pitches in 4.2 IP unfortunately the 100th pitch results in a 2 run double by Cavan Biggio, extending a 3-2 Toronto lead to 5-2
Monday, 6/28 - dlgrubler1 posts "Just once for God’s sake I’d like to see Hyde let a pitcher try to get out of an inning by himself."
Ramon and his 8 game hit streak say "Hi" too!!!
New name ... same tired act. Yawn. What did that comment have to do with today's article or last night's game?
Funny how it took so long to respond. Weird huh?
I think his real name is Richard.
:)....go O’s...
Tricky Dicky - the original Richard?
I'm thinkin' more just plain 'ol Dick.
Thanks for the nice write up Rich! Since the Birds are in Texas I was able to watch the game on a local channel. Another good game for all the M boys. I was surprised to see how fast McKenna is - his speed can be a great asset. And I was disappointed to see how poorly Scott threw the ball - he was slinging it instead of pitching - and had no clue where it was going. He’s got a weapon too but someone needs to teach him how to harness it. Overall a good game after getting smoked by the Astros last week.
Thank you, Tx. Hopefully, future games can be played in under four hours, 19 minutes.
Was it just me or did a light go on with the hitters and they truly attempted to take a lot of pitches last night. Great job. I like that line up the way it’s set. Let’s keep it going with the new kiddie corps
Hyde almost let that game get away from him. How come he never gives guys a clean inning? He tried using sulser for more then one inning didn’t work. Tried using Harvey for more then one inning didn’t work. Scott had no command. Then tried to use Fry for more then one inning didn’t work. His continued mismanagement of the bullpen late in game is mind boggling. Can we play Hays everyday with McKenna? Stewart’s provides no value to this team. Hays is healthy and it’s showing. Hays and McKenna play defense and run. Santander needs to go back on the injured list if the ankle is that bad.
I like the speed in the outfield - speed kills many rallies!!
I’m glad Hays is back, and (hopefully) he can stay healthy. That’s stating the obvious. Good defensively, quick, strong arm, etc. If he plays a chunk of the rest of the season injury free, he’s a better option than Santander, our perpetually glum friend.
Also glad that Hyde gave McKenna more playing time, and I hope he can hit. Better option than Stewart in LF.
McKenna, Mullins and Hays seems like a pretty solid outfield.
Eschelman may be suited to middle/long relief. Just a thought.
Let’s hope for a -gasp- 2 game winning streak!
Hays needs to consider changing his last name so he can be one of the “M” boys. After all - “Mays” has a good ring to it.
Austin Mays Hays?
Ethelman is suited for AAA, nothing more!
Reviewing the pitcher usage from last night, I can see how Hyde has no idea of who will be starting tonight. On the other hand, it really doesn't seem to matter who starts the game; everybody will get a shot. Seriously, I agree with Hyde that every win is worth celebrating and hope he's enjoying this one.
Agreed, WM. Hyde’s looking, um, beleaguered lately and I hope he is enjoying this one win. Finally the bats popped a bit.
2 thoughts.
Greinke is one smart dude. He has made $34 mil plus the last 6 years while barely exceeding 90 mph. He decided years ago to limit the throwing of sliders as it was taxing his arm. I’m not sure if he has ever been on the DL. I do know that he has pitched over 200 innings at least 10 times. Maybe H. Harvey and T. Scott etc. should take notice.
Secondly, Eshelman did a nice job. Mountcastle should have caught at least one of the foul balls that eventually led to a run. And he was getting squeezed by the home plate ump. Greinke made the same pitch and the calls went the other way. I’m not complaining. When you have paid your dues and have established a solid reputation, you are going to get more of the 50-50 calls in your favor.
It’s almost as if there’s other ways to get guys out besides throwing 98 on every pitch and only having the stamina to go 4 innings!
Greinke=Jessie Pinkman!
Great win in a game that had loss written all over it. Saw comment about "why can't Hyde give anybody a fresh inning to start?". Thinking maybe the 3 batter minimum has something to do with that.
Observation time:
I'm in Hyde's corner but it does seem he lets some pitchers(Scott/ Fry) linger a little when they're struggling.
Love the new OF(Mckenna,Mullins,Hays). Sorry Anthony,DJ.
Is it possible Houston was so obsessed with getting walks that they left a lot of "ducks on the pond"?
If I see Leyba charge a ball at 3rd(like he should)instead of Franco's 2 step back approach I'll give him the position permanently.
McKenna knows how to work a count.
Why does it seem it's always 0 and 2 count on Mancini?
Is Fry being affected by the new/strict rules? Certainly not the same pitcher(starting to look like Sisco on the mound--lost)
I promise I will never say a bad thing about Mountcastle again.
AND--I don't know who some of these new posters are but they sure came here in attack mode. Social media at it's finest--gotta love it.
Orial, agree with everything, especially the new posters & how bold they are...whatever, new blood....go O’s...