HOUSTON, Texas — The Houston Astros’ bats went cold tonight as they were defeated by the Baltimore Orioles, 7-0, at Daikin Park. The loss came despite a spectacular pitching performance from Orioles rookie Brandon Young, who carried a perfect game into the eighth inning before losing the bid.
The matchup was part of MLB Players Weekend, and several players took the opportunity to showcase their unique personalities. Astros infielder Mauricio Dubón, a noted fan of pop culture, took the field with an Iron Man-themed belt, cleats, and bat, embodying the “Off-Field Interests” theme of the night.
On the mound, Orioles starter Brandon Young was the story of the night, silencing the Astros’ bats with a dominant performance. The rookie pitcher was perfect through 7 2/3 innings until former Orioles teammate Ramón Urías hit an infield single. The play was initially ruled an error on Young but was later changed to a hit. Young finished his night with eight scoreless innings, striking out six and walking none. He was ultimately credited with the win, his first victory of the season.
The Astros’ offense was held to just one hit on the night, unable to generate any momentum against Young and the Orioles’ bullpen. Astros starter Framber Valdez struggled, allowing five earned runs over 4 1/3 innings and was saddled with the loss. The Orioles’ offense was led by home runs from Coby Mayo and Dylan Carlson.
With the loss, the Astros’ hold on the top spot in the American League West has become even tighter. The team now holds a mere 1.5-game lead over the second-place Seattle Mariners, who also lost tonight. The Astros’ win-loss record now stands at 68-54, while the Mariners are at 67-55. The Texas Rangers remain in third place, 7.5 games behind Houston. The series continues tomorrow night as the Astros look to regain momentum in the divisional race.