This story was originally published by Dead Spin
It’s bounce-back time for the Baltimore Orioles and starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, who also needs a redeeming performance.
The Orioles, who can’t seem to get much going their way these days, will begin a four-game series against the visiting Houston Astros on Thursday.
Even the Astros have hit a rare glitch, so they will be eager to get things right as well.
The Orioles managed only three hits on Wednesday in a 4-3 loss to the host New York Mets, who won on Jesse Winker’s pinch-hit solo home run in the ninth inning off Seranthony Dominguez. Baltimore has lost four of its past six games.
“Tough to win a Major League Baseball game getting three hits,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “With our pitching the way it is right now, we’ve got to be able to score some runs. We’ve got to be able to score some runs because it’s a grind right now on the mound.”
The Astros will arrive after losing two of their past three games, but they’ve won 11 of their past 14 overall. A 4-1 home loss to the Boston Red Sox marked their first defeat by more than one run since Aug. 3.
Baltimore’s relief corps had been extremely reliable, but the pitching staff has been a bit in disarray lately, and that has led to the Orioles’ inconsistency.
“We’ve got eight guys in our ‘pen,” Hyde said. “Trying to find some guys to get hot for us.”
Burnes (12-5, 3.10 ERA) was shelled in his latest outing, on Friday against Boston. The American League’s All-Star Game starter allowed eight runs on 10 hits, both career highs, in four innings during his shortest outing of the season.
“We fell behind and then we had to come on the plate more than we want to,” Burnes said.
Until that game, Baltimore had won five consecutive games in which Burnes started. The Orioles revamped their rotation late last week to provide an extra day between starts.
“Giving everyone a breather this time through I think is only going to be beneficial,” Burnes said.
The Astros swept a three-game series from Baltimore by a combined score of 27-13 from June 21-23 in Houston. Burnes was tagged with the loss in the middle contest, giving up four runs in seven innings. He served up home runs to Yordan Alvarez and Chas McCormick.
Burnes is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) vs. the Astros.
Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (5-11, 5.20 ERA) heads to the mound for the Astros to open the series. The rookie is 1-4 with a 4.11 ERA in his past five starts, though Houston scored a total of just 11 runs in those games.
The Astros left home at least encouraged after Justin Verlander’s first start in more than two months lasted five innings on Wednesday. Verlander gave up two runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
“I felt like the stuff was pretty good and as the game went along the location started to hone in and the mechanics felt good,” Verlander said.
Houston’s Alex Bregman went 1-for-4 with a homer on Wednesday while serving as the designated hitter. He took a day off from playing third base due to a minor elbow issue.
“Nothing structurally wrong,” he said. “Some little gremlins causing some swelling in there that I have to try to mitigate through the rest of the year.”
The Astros have won their past eight road games during a stretch that included visits to Texas, Boston and Tampa Bay.
–Field Level Media
