HOUSTON - Coming off a 14-11 loss Friday in which O's pitching allowed a season-high 14 runs and saw its team ERA jump from 3.13 to 3.28, it's a good time today to send their ace pitcher to the mound. 

They do just that as right-hander Corbin Burnes (8-2, 2.14 ERA) makes his 16th start. Burnes begins today tied for first in the American League in ERA with Boston's Tanner Houck.

But heading into this outing, Burnes has a streak of 10 straight quality starts riding. In that span he is 5-2 with a 1.85 ERA and .561 OPS against since April 26.

The Orioles are 11-4 when Burnes starts, winning his last six games in a row.

In his past four games Burnes has allowed, in order, zero, one, zero and two earned runs. In those games he is 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA and a .190 batting average against.

HOUSTON – Outfielder Colton Cowser is returning home this weekend as the Orioles play at Houston's Minute Maid Park. It’s a ballpark he has been in as both a fan and a player.

“Feels like home. Hot,” he said Friday afternoon in the Baltimore clubhouse.

Born in Houston, Cowser still lives in the area. He attended Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, Texas, about 26 miles northwest of Houston and led his team to the 6A state playoffs as a senior in 2018. He played his college ball at Sam Houston State, which is about 68 miles north of Houston.

A few local TV reporters wanted to talk with him yesterday ahead of the series opener. Cowser estimates he saw about 30 games in Minute Maid Park over the years.

“Lots of memories coming to this ballpark growing up," he said. "Came to a lot of games and really cool, really excited. My mom, talked to her last night and my parents are excited.

HOUSTON – Some nights you win by 12 runs and some nights you lose big. It doesn’t happen on back-to-back nights very often.

It actually was about to happen to the Orioles, who were down by 11 runs after Houston scored nine in the sixth inning. But it did not, as the Orioles' relentless offense produced three homers in the eighth inning when they scored seven runs.

In the end, the crazy final was Houston 14, Orioles 11 in the series opener.

The roof fell in on Baltimore's pitching not long after they had taken a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth.

The Orioles, who began this night leading the American League in team ERA and tied for first in MLB, allowed three runs in the Houston fifth and nine in the sixth.

HOUSTON – After a stunning 17-5 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday, which gave the O’s two wins in three games that series, their road show has arrived in Houston for a weekend series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

The Orioles (49-25) are on a 107-win pace after winning back-to-back series from Philadelphia and New York.

Overall they have won four of their past five, 10 of 13, 15 of 21 and 20 of their last 27 games. They are now 24-11 on the road and score 5.6 runs per game in road contests this season.

The Orioles have gone 5-2 this season against New York and are 19-7 for the year in division games.

Their 17 runs topped their previous season high of 13 runs on March 30 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Their 19 hits topped the previous season's high of 15. The 12-run win was the largest victory margin of the year topping their 11-1 win on May 5 at Cincinnati.

HOUSTON – It’s a bit of a family affair in the dugouts in Houston this weekend as the Astros host the Orioles for a three-game series. Two good friends, who are now also brothers-in-law, will manage against each other in the O’s Brandon Hyde and Houston’s Joe Espada.

Their friendship goes back many years and they married sisters.

Espada was Houston’s bench coach since 2018 and took over as skipper last November after Dusty Baker’s retirement.

“It’s going to be definitely a great experience and a great thing for our family,” said Hyde this afternoon at Minute Maid Park to a crowd of reporters that cover each team. “Me and Joe go way, way back. He was my hitting coach (with Greensboro in the South Atlantic League) when I was managing in 2006. We’ve known each other a long time and I’m really proud of him and happy he got this opportunity. Going to be cool to see him in the dugout in a little bit different seat this year. Going to be a lot of fun.”

Hyde and Espada were candidates for the same big league managing job several times as they both worked their way toward getting the jobs they have today.

The Orioles begin their three-game series in Houston with Colton Cowser out of the lineup for the second consecutive day.

Ryan O’Hearn is making his second start in left field, with Cedric Mullins in center and Anthony Santander in right.

Jordan Westburg is the third baseman. Adley Rutschman is serving as designated hitter.  

Texas native Grayson Rodriguez is making his first career start in Houston. He faced the Astros last season at Camden Yards and allowed two runs in six innings.

Rodriguez has made three starts this month and allowed five earned runs in 19 1/3 innings. He’s walked two batters and struck out 16.

They did it the hard way. It began last Friday where the Orioles were headed into a six-game stretch versus Philadelphia and the New York Yankees, the teams with the two best records in their respective leagues.

Where some fans might have been happy with a 3-3 split, the Orioles won both series and go 4-2 in this stretch. And yes, they did do it the hard way, losing the series-opening game each time and then winning two in a row.

They did it by bashing two of baseball’s best pitchers in 2024 in Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler and Yankees right-hander Luis Gil.

Wheeler entered his start against the Orioles Sunday – in the game that was to decide that series – at 8-3 with a 2.16 ERA. His ERA was 1.57 in his previous five starts. Then the Orioles got nine hits and eight runs off him by hitting four homers against him in 4 1/3 innings. Wheeler entered that start with a 0.62 HR rate on the year among the best in baseball. But against the Orioles he allowed a career-high in homers and tied his career high for earned runs.

Then in the game to decide the series in the Bronx, they faced Gil. He entered his start at 9-1 with a 2.03 ERA and was 8-0 with an ERA of 1.14 in his previous nine starts. He had given up 4.4 hits per every nine innings this year.

NEW YORK – Ryan Mountcastle pulled into second base, turned to the visiting dugout and pumped his fist with such force that he could have flattened a bull.

A punch was finally thrown in the series. It landed flush.

The Orioles held their composure for three games. They got hit and took their base. Couldn’t be lured into a fight or a war of words but wouldn’t back down from the first-place team in their division in a hostile environment.

They sent 12 batters to the plate in the second inning and scored six runs to build on their early lead. The pummeling was done to Luis Gil, who began the day with the lowest ERA in the American League. No one is immune.

A 17-5 victory allowed the Orioles to move within a half-game of the Yankees. They set a major league record by going 22 division series in a row with a win or split.

The Orioles (48-25) and the New York Yankees (51-25) are now separated by just 1.5 games in the standings with New York in first place heading into today's third and deciding game of the current series.

The Yankees won 4-2 on Tuesday night and the Orioles won 7-6 in 10 innings last night. The Orioles are 4-2 versus the Yankees this year and five of those six games were decided by two runs or fewer with Baltimore going 3-2 in those games.

A win today would give the Orioles back-to-back series wins over the Phillies and Yankees after losing the first game of each series.

The Orioles have had just one day off since May 31 but have gone 13-6 in this span against the Rays, Jays, Braves, Phillies and Yankees.

The Orioles are 18-7 (.720) in games this year versus American League East teams while the Yankees are 10-11 (.476).

NEW YORK - Jordan Westburg was on the field early today to perform agility drills and test his bruised left hip. He did fine and is starting at second base this afternoon in the series finale against the Yankees.

Left-hander Cole Irvin is 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.229 WHIP in 13 games (11 starts). He’s made three career appearances against New York, including two starts, and gone 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.615 WHIP in only 13 innings. He’s allowed 12 runs and 15 hits and walked six batters.

Irvin has allowed a .329 average against this month after he held opponents to a .212 average in May. Opponents are hitting .314 on his fastball this month compared to .200 in May.

DJ LeMahieu is 4-for-7 with a double. Giancarlo Stanton is 3-for-6 with a home run. Aaron Judge, who sat out last night’s game with a sore left hand, is 2-for-4 with a homer.

The Orioles haven’t lost a division series in the last 21, tying the major league record. They need a win today to maintain the streak.

The Yankees Aaron Judge was not happy. He got plunked by a pitch in the hand on Tuesday night and missed Wednesday's game.

He was quoted by New York media after Tuesday's game.

“Definitely pissed,” Judge said about the pitch that got him. “There was a couple balls up and in. It’s part of it. They like to throw in.”

If they, the Orioles, like to throw in, where do the Yankees like to throw?

As of game time last night, New York pitchers had hit 40 batters this year to lead the American League. With 24, the Orioles staff tied for 12th most. The team with the fewest HPs in the AL had hit 23 batters. Yankees pitchers had hit the Orioles five times this year and O's pitchers had hit the Yankees three times.

NEW YORK – The Orioles are two-thirds into a series hyped by media as a do-or-die matchup. Lose two games or get swept and don’t bothering playing out the rest of the season.

The club tried to downplay it after the last homestand. Manager Brandon Hyde and his players can read the standings. They also can read a calendar.

If you’re still reading this, here are a few thoughts and opinions about what’s transpired at Yankee Stadium.

* The fuss over the hit-by-pitches in the first game was over the top.

Not unexpected, mind you. Just way over the top.

NEW YORK – The intense atmosphere didn’t get to rookie Cade Povich. He wasn’t rattled. But he didn’t know how long he could stay in it.

Four walks in the first two innings and a pitch count of 56 didn’t align for a long outing. But Povich settled down and retired nine batters in a row in his third major league start, coming within an out of qualifying for his first win.

The Orioles entered the bottom of the ninth with a chance to get one for themselves after leaving the bases loaded in the top half, but Anthony Volpe led off with a double against Craig Kimbrel and scored with one out on Giancarlo Stanton's game-tying single.

No wonder manager Brandon Hyde began his postgame media session by exhaling and shaking his head. Somehow it had worked out in their favor. The roughest terrain doesn't topple them.

Hyde doesn't always understand how they do it, but he'll just enjoy the ride as much as he can, even if it leaves him exhausted.

In Game 2 of this series between the Orioles and Yankees at Yankee Stadium tonight, a rookie making his third major league start faces the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner.

It's lefty Cade Povich for the Orioles versus right-hander Gerrit Cole for the Yankees. Cole went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA last season with a 0.981 WHIP in winning his first Cy Young Award. He has now finished in the top five in the voting six times and second or higher three times.

He has 1,859 career innings on his resume compared to 11 1/3 for Povich. He has made 300 starts in the bigs to two for the O's southpaw.

But Cole is making his 2024 season debut after going on the 60-day injured list March 28 with right elbow inflammation. He made two starts at Double-A and one at Triple-A in rehab outings leading into tonight. In those games, he threw 45, 57 and 70 pitches for a combined 12 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and one earned run with no walks and 19 strikeouts.

Cole faced the Orioles twice last year, going 0-0 with a 3.75 ERA over 12 innings. In 12 career games and starts versus the Orioles, he is 5-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.940 WHIP, allowing a .203 batting average and .572 OPS. 

NEW YORK – The list of injured Orioles pitchers keeps growing, along with the worries over how the team will move forward and stay upright.

Kyle Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery this morning in Arlington, Texas, with an internal brace part of the reconstructive procedure. And high-leverage reliever Danny Coulombe had bone chips removed from his left elbow yesterday in Los Angeles, with an optimistic return date of September.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias met with media at Yankee Stadium earlier today to provide the updates.

Dr. Keith Meister handled Bradish’s procedure, which is a little more complex than his work with John Means and Tyler Wells. It’s reconstructive rather than a repair, which likely leads to the usual 12-to-18 month recovery, but the brace brings additional support and makes in a hybrid.

Bradish was diagnosed in January with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and received a platelet-rich plasma injection. He made eight starts after his reinstatement from the injured list and posted a 2.75 ERA and 1.068 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Selected the contract of INF/OF Nick Maton from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 63.
• Optioned OF Kyle Stowers to Triple-A Norfolk.
• Transferred RHP Tyler Wells to the 60-day Injured List (right elbow UCL surgery).

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

NEW YORK – The Orioles optioned outfielder Kyle Stowers to Triple-A Norfolk this afternoon and selected the contract of infielder Nick Maton.

Pitcher Tyler Wells was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create room on the 40-man roster.

Stowers is 10-for-35 with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, no walks and 13 strikeouts in 17 games. He’s started only four times this month, with the bulk of the left-handed at-bats reserved for Colton Cowser.

Stowers is 3-for-17 in June.

The Orioles want an extra infielder while Jordan Westburg is day-to-day with a bruised left hip. Maton is batting .294 with an .869 OPS in 41 games with Norfolk. He has six doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBIs.

One pitcher tonight will be making his third MLB start while the other has made 300. One will be looking for his first major league win while the other has 145. O's rookie Cade Povich pitched 11 1/3 innings his first two starts while the Yankees' Gerrit Cole has 1,859 innings under his belt.

Povich can't even think about winning Cy Young Awards. He just wants to establish his MLB career. Not only has Cole finished in the top five for the Cy Young Award six times, he's been in the top two three times and was the AL Cy Young Winner just last year when he went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA. Tonight, it's Povich against Cole in Game 2 of this series.

Reverse lock anyone?

The Orioles have gone 21 straight AL East series without losing one. But if they are to keep that streak going, they need to win the next two nights in the Bronx against the defending Cy Young winner in the American League one night and the next beat the pitcher in right-hander Luis Gil, who leads the AL currently in ERA.

Hey, the Orioles won their series at home with Philadelphia after losing the series opener on Friday night.

NEW YORK – If Cade Povich made a previous trip to New York, the memory isn’t sharp enough to cut through the fog.

“Maybe one time for like a night,” he said, “but other than that, no.”

Povich isn’t a tourist this week. His third major league start is coming tonight and he’s facing the team that’s blocking the Orioles from first place.

“It’s definitely going to be cool,” he said, certain that he hadn’t stepped inside Yankee Stadium before yesterday. “Knowing from watching games and growing up around baseball, it’s probably going to be a rowdy atmosphere, but at the same time probably pretty fun.

“We played in Regionals at Arkansas and it was pretty rowdy there, and I had a blast pitching there. Honestly, just real excited for it.”

NEW YORK – Albert Suárez walked into the visiting clubhouse at Yankee Stadium this afternoon, turned left and stopped. His eyes did a quick scan of the lockers. His name was nowhere to be found.

Suárez casually spun in the other direction and smiled. He was in a row straight ahead with a bunch of the other pitchers.

He had worked through his first jam.

More would come later, and controlling the Yankees was much harder than locating his uniform.

Suárez didn’t make it out of the fourth inning, Jordan Westburg injured his left hip and the Orioles lost to the Yankees 4-0 before an announced sellout crowd of 47,429. Exactly how they did not want to begin an important series.