Houston gets big inning against Rule 5 pitchers for 10-6 win

HOUSTON - Mike Wright Jr. pitched capably and left with a lead. Adam Jones homered and drove in three. The Orioles finally scored off a starting pitcher.

But would it add up to a victory?

Not tonight for the Orioles. With the game tied 5-5 entering the last of the seventh, Houston scored five times off Rule 5 pitchers Pedro Araujo and Nestor Cortes Jr. to rally for a 10-6 win.

The Orioles fall to 1-4 and have lost eight in a row at Minute Maid Park. Houston is 5-1.

The Orioles got the lead twice in this game but each time Houston came back. George Springer's RBI double to left in the seventh broke the 5-5 tie. Araujo had hit the first batter of the inning and later left with the bases loaded and two outs after he issued two walks. It was a tough spot for a pitcher who was in the Carolina League this time last year.

Cortes then inherited his own tough spot. He faced Josh Reddick, needing a big out to keep the Orioles in the game. But Reddick, who had hit a two-run homer an inning earlier for his first homer, blasted a grand slam to right on an 89 mph 3-2 fastball and that blew it open for the 10-5 lead. Reddick hit two homers driving in six runs over the sixth and seventh innings.

It was his sixth career slam and seventh career multi-homer game. His six RBIs ties his career high.

Much earlier, Jonathan Schoop blasted a long homer to left in the first off right-hander Justin Verlander. He crushed a 95 mph fastball 417 for his first home run. It gave the Orioles both their first run off a starting pitcher on the year and their first lead since opening day.

The lead lasted just four batters however.

Carlos Correa hit a two-run inside the park homer in the bottom of the first off Wright. Correa blasted a ball deep to left center and left fielder Trey Mancini leaped near the wall but could not make the catch. The ball appeared to hit his glove and then the wall. It then caromed back with a lot of pace toward center field. It went past Jones who had come over to try and make the catch also as Correa circled the bases for the 2-1 lead.

Down 3-1, the Orioles pulled within 3-2 in the fourth on Mancini's sac fly. Reddick came up big here well before his two homers as he robbed him of a three-run homer at the right-field wall but he got an RBI to pull the O's within a run.

Then Jones hit his second of the year, a two-run shot in the sixth for a 4-3 lead. Jones hit one 393 feet off Verlander for No. 2 on the year. This lead was short lived when Reddick hit a two-run homer to right off Mychal Givens for a 5-4 lead in the sixth.

Wright went five innings allowing four hits and three runs with one walk and six strikeouts, to tie his career high. He left with a lead but will settle for a no decision and the Orioles have to deal with a frustrating loss.

Their offense came to life tonight and they scored four runs off Verlander. But the bullpen melt down in the seventh turned the game in Houston's favor. The Astros go for a three-game sweep here tomorrow afternoon.