Dubon's 9th-inning single lifts Astros over Orioles to stay atop AL West
HOUSTON (AP) — Mauricio Dubon’s RBI single with one out in the ninth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.
The victory allowed the Astros to avoid a sweep and stay a half-game ahead of Texas for first place in the AL West.
Yainer Diaz doubled to right field off Danny Coulombe (5-2) to start Houston’s ninth, and he moved to third on a groundout by Chas McCormick.
Dubon then smacked a single into the gap in right field to score Diaz and start the celebration.
The Astros had just two hits when Jeremy Peña’s RBI double tied it with one out in the eighth.
Closer Ryan Pressly (4-5) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
Anthony Santander doubled and drove in Baltimore’s only run with a single in the first inning as the team’s lead over the Rays in the AL East fell to two games.
Orioles starter Kyle Bradish allowed two hits and struck out nine in six scoreless innings.
Houston’s Cristian Javier gave up five hits and a run while tying a season high with 11 strikeouts in five innings.
Adley Rutschman doubled with one out in the first before the Orioles made it 1-0 when he scored on a single by Santander.
Javier settled down after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 before Adam Frazier singled with one out in the fifth. Javier walked Ramon Urias after that, but struck out Gunnar Henderson before retiring Rutschman to end the threat.
Santander doubled to start the sixth before moving to third on a single by Ryan O’Hearn. But Hector Neris retired the next three batters to leave them stranded.
McCormick singled to open Houston’s third, but Bradish didn’t allow another hit until Jake Meyers singled to start the sixth.
He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Martín Maldonado. Bradish struck out Altuve and looked to have struck out Peña to end the inning. But Rutschman was called for catcher’s interference to put Peña on first and extend the inning. The Astros still came up empty when Kyle Tucker lined out.
Shintaro Fujinami walked pinch-hitter Yordan Alvarez with no outs in the eighth before walking Jose Altuve with one out. He was replaced by Mike Baumann, who was greeted with the double from Peña that tied it at 1-all.
Baumann intentionally walked Tucker to load the bases, but Alex Bregman struck out before Jose Abreu grounded out to end the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Ryan Mountcastle was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday with left shoulder inflammation. Manager Brandon Hyde said he tried to swing before Wednesday’s game and it “didn’t go as well as we were hoping,” so he was placed on the IL. ... OF Ryan McKenna was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take his spot on the roster.
Astros: OF Michael Brantley missed a third straight game Wednesday with right shoulder soreness. Manager Dusty Baker said before the game that his shoulder was still sore, and he was day to day. ... RHP Ryne Stanek, who has been out since Sept. 4 with a sprained right ankle, threw a scoreless inning in his first rehabilitation start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday night.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (6-4, 4.53 ERA) will start for Baltimore in the opener of a four-game series at Cleveland on Thursday night. The Guardians haven’t announced their starter.
Astros: Houston is off Thursday and hasn’t announced its rotation for a series against Kansas City that starts Friday.
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