Smith allows back-to-back homers in 7th as Orioles are held to 2 hits in 6-3 loss to Astros

BALTIMORE—Burch Smith allowed home runs to Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz on consecutive pitches in the seventh inning, and the Orioles ended their four-game series with the Houston Astros with a split.

The Orioles’ 6-3 loss to the Astros before 21,654 at Camden Yards on Sunday night combined with the New York Yankees’ 10-3 win over the Colorado Rockies dropped them 1 ½ games behind in the American League East.

While the Orioles don’t play on Monday and begin a six-game road trip to Los Angeles and Colorado on Tuesday night, the Yankees begin a three-game series at Washington Monday.

Smith (2-1) entered after Dean Kremer gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings, walking two and striking out five.

Smith retired his first two batters before Bregman’s 21^st and Diaz’s 16^th home run.

The Orioles (76-56), who had only three hits in three of their last seven games, had a season-low two hits.

Héctor Neris (1-0) who signed with the Astros (70-60) on Saturday after his release from the Chicago Cubs, began his second stint in Houston by retiring all four batters he faced.

Ramón Urías, who tied the score, 3-3, in the fifth with his ninth home run, lofted a fly to the left corner with two outs in the seventh that Mauricio Dubón caught and somehow held on to as he crashed into the wall in left field near the foul pole.

Dubón stayed on the ground for several minutes until he walked off the field. He received a standing ovation from the Camden Yards crowd.

Kremer allowed his three runs on five hits in the fourth. Victor Caratini’s single scored Jeremy Peña from first, and Zach Denzenzo’s double scored Caratini and Ben Gamel.

The Orioles, who had a pair of exciting comeback wins on Friday night and Saturday, didn’t have a hit against Yusei Kikuchi for the first four innings until Eloy Jiménez led off the fifth with a base hit. With one out, Emmanuel Rivera walked, and Urías hit a three-run home run to center field for a 3-3 tie.

Urías’ home run was their final hit. They were held hitless for the final 4 2/3 innings by Kikuchi, Neris, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader, who recorded his 28^th save.

Houston added a run in the eighth when Urías threw wildly to first on Dezenzo’s ground ball, sending Gamel to third. Jake Meyers’ sacrifice fly gave Houston a 6-3 lead.