The Orioles bailed out Dean Kremer tonight, which was the first order of business. Battle back twice to tie. Conclude his frustrating night with no decision. Try to win a game in the series and go for the split on Sunday.
They couldn’t complete the mission.
Christian Walker hit a two-run homer off left-hander Dietrich Enns in the seventh inning and the Astros hung on for a 9-8 victory over the Orioles before an announced crowd of 30,159 at Camden Yards.
Walker mashed a changeup 414 feet to left field with two outs, extending his home run streak to three games in a row. The Orioles (59-70) have lost three straight after winning six of seven. They didn't lose their 70th last year until Sept. 22.
Jeremiah Jackson hit his first major league home run in the fourth inning, a 439-foot shot to center field that reduced the lead to 7-6. Colton Cowser followed his two-run single in the first with a solo homer in the fifth off AJ Blubaugh that knotted the score.
Cowser has homered in back-to-back games for the sixth time in his career.
Samuel Basallo doubled to center field at 112.1 mph, his first hit since signing his eight-year extension, but he was stranded.
Jackson singled to score Dylan Beavers in the eighth and get the Orioles within a run. Beavers doubled and is batting .333 with a 1.026 OPS in seven games. He set the club record by reaching base 15 times in that span.
Kremer was charged with six earned runs and seven total in five innings and came out after 75 pitches. He surrendered three home runs in the first.
The reversal from his last start could cause whiplash. Kremer shut out the Astros over seven innings in Houston, but he was down 5-0 tonight after facing six batters. He retired only one.
Jeremy Peña drew a leadoff walk and Carlos Correa launched a sinker 391 feet to left field at 106.5 mph. Jesús Sánchez came to the plate with one out and drilled a curveball 429 feet to right-center at 111 mph. Walker singled and Victor Caratini jumped on a splitter, his two-run shot also going to right-center.
Former Oriole Ramón Urías lined to deep left-center at 107.2 mph. Jose Altuve lined to left field in the fifth at 110.6.
The Astros had rolled out the barrels.
Kremer tied his career high with the three homers. Tonight marked the first time they were bundled in one inning.
Cristian Javier lasted only three innings in his previous start against the Orioles due to an illness. He responded to a five-run lead in the first by walking Jackson Holliday and Jackson, and Gunnar Henderson’s bouncer sneaked into center field.
Henderson stole second base and Cowser lined a two-run single into right. The Orioles were down 5-3 and the Astros already had a reliever throwing.
The inning lasted 29 minutes. It felt twice as long.
Kremer made quick work of the Astros in the second, and the Orioles threatened in the bottom half after Beavers reached on an error and stole his first major league base and Vimael Machín drew a 10-pitch walk. Henderson walked with two outs to load the bases and Ryan Mountcastle lined a two-run single into center field for a 5-5 tie.
Javier’s pitch count was 65 as he made a slow walk back to the dugout. He shared the same pace as the game.
It didn’t stay level for long. Altuve singled to lead off the third and Sánchez took a big swing at a splitter and punched it inside third base for a 54.4 mph double. Kremer got a strikeout and a ground ball, but Altuve broke for home and dived across the plate, and Sánchez followed him after Coby Mayo’s throw in the dirt bounced off Altuve’s foot and rolled toward the backstop.
Kremer had a long conversation with Basallo on the walk back to the dugout.
Hall of Famer Jim Palmer threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Cade Povich. Holliday received his Heart and Hustle Award.
Ike Irish, the Orioles’ first pick in this year’s draft and their No. 2 prospect, fouled two pitches off the same spot on his right shin and was removed as a precaution with a bruise.
Jorge Mateo had two hits in another rehab game with Triple-A Norfolk. Liván Soto hit a three-run walk-off homer. Cody Poteet, beginning his rehab assignment, retired the side in order in the fifth.
Creed Willems hit his 15th home run for Double-A Chesapeake. Juaron Watts-Brown allowed two runs and three hits with four walks, four strikeouts and two homers in 4 1/3 innings.