The Orioles begin their second-half push for a playoff berth in Houston with one left-hander in their bullpen.

The club announced that right-hander Cam Sanders was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He’s wearing No. 73.

Sanders had his contract purchased from the Pirates on Monday. He had an 8.68 ERA and 2.036 WHIP in nine relief appearances, with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings.

Sanders has an 8.44 ERA and 2.063 WHIP in 15 games over two seasons.

The Pirates designated Sanders for assignment on Saturday after acquiring Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert from the White Sox.

The Orioles optioned left-hander Nick Raquet over the break but didn’t announce the corresponding move until today. Grant Wolfram is the only lefty reliever.

Dean Kremer has a 4.09 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in four starts, with a quadriceps strain in between forcing him on the injured list. He surrendered a career-high four home runs in his last outing against the Cubs after holding the White Sox to one run in six innings.

Kremer is 4-0 with a 2.59 ERA and 0.936 in six career starts against the Astros. He’s allowed one run in 14 2/3 innings in two starts in Houston.

Jose Altuve is 9-for-20 with three doubles and a home run against Kremer. Jeremy Pena is 1-for-15.

Orioles starters have posted a 3.36 ERA this month, seventh best in the majors.

The Orioles have won 20 challenges to avoid strikeouts, the most in the majors, per STATS.

The Orioles have built a season-long four-game winning streak that’s improved their record to 46-51. They’re in fourth place, 11 ½ games out of first place and two out of the Wild Card.

Per STATS, the Orioles have made the playoffs four times when on the outside at the break – 1973, 1974, 1983 and 1996. The first three were deficits in the division race. The ’83 team was 42-34 in the first half and won the World Series.

The Astros are in third place in the American League West at 47-51, putting them 1 ½ games out of the Wild Card. They lost two of three to the Orioles in April at Camden Yards.

Their 133 home runs rank third in the majors, but the pitching staff’s 4.81 ERA is 27th and a 1.41 WHIP is 26th.

Right-hander Peter Lambert has a 3.14 ERA in 15 starts in his first season with the Astros after four with the Rockies. The former second-round draft pick pitched in Japan last year.

Left-handers are hitting .143 with a .507 OPS against Lambert this season. Right-handers are hitting .261 with a .751 OPS.

Lambert started Game 1 of an April 30 doubleheader at Camden Yards in his only career appearance against the Orioles and allowed two runs and two hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Pete Alonso is 2-for-5 with a triple and two walks against Lambert.

Yordan Alvarez is batting .346 since June 1. He leads the American League with 31 homers, the most by an Astro before the break. He surpassed Lance Berkman’s record of 29 set in 2002.

The Astros’ 1,151 player games lost to the injured list are second most in the majors behind the Dodgers’ 1,258. The Orioles are fourth with 1,091.

The Orioles are 15-26 all-time in Houston. Brandon Young tossed 7 2/3 perfect innings at Daikin Park last season, but Kyle Bradish has jumped ahead of him in this weekend’s rotation.

Young will face the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Trevor Rogers faces Spencer Arrighetti on Saturday afternoon, and Kyle Bradish opposes Hunter Brown on Sunday afternoon.

The Orioles signed left-hander Zane Adams, their sixth-round pick, for $370,000, per Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo. Slot value for the 171st pick is $396,300. They also signed utility player Carlos Sanchez, a 10th-rounder, for $47,500. Slot value for the 290th pick is $198,900.

Outfielder Eric Booth Jr., the seventh-overall selection, debuts at No. 65 in Baseball America’s updated top 100 prospects list.