<\/p>\n
Yordan Alvarez delivered the tying hit in the 10th inning Saturday, but the Astros couldn’t follow with the winning run despite having the bases loaded and no outs.<\/p>\n
Alex Slitz\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti delivers to Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti delivers to Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti reacts as he worked against Baltimore Orioles’ Jackson Holliday during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz, left, talks with Houston Astros starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti, right, with Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman bat during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros’ Christian Walker holds his rib area after swinging at a pitch, he was taken back to the clubhouse without finishing his at bat against Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros’ Christian Walker is taken back to the clubhouse by a trainer and manager Joe Espada without finishing his at bat against Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso, left, slides into second base on Dylan Beavers’ single against Houston Astros shortstop Nick Allen, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros’ Zach Dezenzo, left, slides home to score the tying run on Nick Allen’s sacrifice bunt during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
Houston Astros shortstop Nick Allen tags Baltimore Orioles’ Dylan Beavers out at second as Colton Cowser ground into a double play during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/Karen Warren)<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP Photo\/Karen Warren<\/p>\n
The chopper cued off Tyler O\u2019Neill\u2019s bat at 54.5 mph to the right side of the\u00a0Houston Astros<\/a>\u00a0infield. Jose Altuve, pulled toward the second-base bag, ran to field it near his normal position. Gunnar Henderson, breaking from second, never stopped running as he did.<\/p>\n Altuve chopped his feet, corralled the ball and threw to first. O\u2019Neill beat his throw by a step. First baseman\u00a0LaMonte Wade Jr. looked to the plate but had no play. Henderson sprinted across with the go-ahead run in what became a ghastly 11-inning loss for Houston.<\/p>\n The Astros had the bases loaded with no outs in a tied game in the 10th. Their pitchers allowed five hits and recorded 15 strikeouts. They still fell 4-2 to the Orioles on Saturday, ensuring a series loss at Daikin Park and dropping them six games under .500 at 47-53.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cWe had opportunities to take the lead and win that game,\u201d manager Joe Espada said. \u201cBut yeah, that\u2019s a tough loss there.\u201d<\/p>\n Enyel De Los Santos stood one strike from escaping the 11th unscored upon. After O\u2019Neill\u2019s infield single, Leody Taveras singled to provide Baltimore an insurance run it did not need. The Astros finished 2-for-12 with men in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.<\/p>\n The Astros erased a 2-1 deficit in the 10th inning but wasted a ripe opportunity to end the game there. With men on first and third and no outs, the Orioles opted to pitch to Yordan Alvarez rather than walk him and put the possible winning run in scoring position. Alvarez ripped a game-tying double.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It one-hopped the short wall down the right-field line, a possible bad break for Houston, stopping Nick Allen at third base. It evened out as Isaac Paredes reached on an error to load the bases with no outs.<\/p>\n The Orioles deployed a five-man infield. Altuve arced a fly over it. O\u2019Neill ranged into shallow center, caught it and unleashed a throw to the plate. It beat Allen, extending the game, and pitcher Andrew Kittredge handled Wade\u2019s two-out bunt base-hit attempt to force an 11th inning.<\/p>\n \u201cI think given the situation, it was hard on (O\u2019Neill), he had to make a perfect play, and he did,\u201d Allen said. \u201cHats off to him.\u201d<\/p>\n Houston pitchers allowed just two hits before the 10th. Their lineup mustered one run in the same span. Concern accompanied failure to capitalize, as shortstop Jeremy Pe\u00f1a and first baseman Christian Walker\u00a0both left the game due to injury concerns<\/a>\u00a0by the fourth inning.<\/p>\n Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti allowed one run in five innings, an encouraging answer to his struggles before the All-Star break. Orioles left-hander Tyler Rogers upstaged him by taking a shutout bid into the seventh inning, which the Astros broke up with a display of small ball.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Dylan Beavers struck both of Baltimore\u2019s hits before the 10th, a run-scoring double off Arrighetti and a sixth-inning single. AJ Blubaugh gave Houston two scoreless relief innings. Bryan Abreu worked a clean eighth and Josh Hader struck out the side in the top of the ninth. Their efforts went for naught.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we played really well the last two days, we could have won both games,\u201d Espada said. \u201cI\u2019m looking at the effort, I\u2019m looking at the intensity, I\u2019m looking at the commitment to winning, our attitude, and that\u2019s what we want. If we continue to do this, things will turn around.\u201d<\/p>\n Baltimore Totals Rutschman dh Henderson ss Ward lf Alonso 1b Basallo c Beavers rf b-O’Neill ph-rf Cowser cf c-Mayo ph Taveras cf Encarnacion-Strand 3b Holliday 2b d-Jackson ph-2b Houston Totals Pe\u00f1a ss Allen ss Alvarez dh Paredes 3b Altuve 2b Walker 1b a-Wade ph-1b Diaz c Smith rf Dezenzo lf Spence cf Baltimore 5 Houston 9 a-walked for Walker in the 4th. b-struck out for Beavers in the 9th. c-struck out for Cowser in the 9th. d-sacrificed for Holliday in the 10th.<\/p>\n E_Encarnacion-Strand (1), Henderson (11). LOB_Baltimore 9, Houston 11. 2B_Beavers (10), Alvarez (19). RBIs_Beavers (14), Jackson (36), O’Neill (13), Taveras (35), Allen (10), Alvarez (72). SB_Alonso (3). S_Jackson, Allen.<\/p>\n Runners left in scoring position_Baltimore 5 (Henderson, Holliday 2, Encarnacion-Strand, Ward); Houston 6 (Wade 2, Walker, Dezenzo, Paredes, Alvarez). RISP_Baltimore 4 for 15; Houston 2 for 12.<\/p>\n Runners moved up_Altuve, Smith. GIDP_Cowser, Alvarez.<\/p>\n DP_Baltimore 2 (Henderson, Alonso; O’Neill, Basallo, O’Neill); Houston 1 (Allen, Wade).<\/p>\n IP<\/p>\n H 6<\/p>\n 7 0 1<\/p>\n 0 1<\/p>\n 0 1<\/p>\n 2 1<\/p>\n 0 IP<\/p>\n H 5<\/p>\n 1 2<\/p>\n 1 1<\/p>\n 0 1<\/p>\n 0 1<\/p>\n 1 1<\/p>\n 2 Inherited runners-scored_Garcia 2-1. IBB_off Garcia (Alvarez). HBP_Arrighetti (Basallo).<\/p>\n ABS Challenge_Henderson (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Paredes (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Holliday (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Alonso (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Altuve (Strike-Confirmed); Basallo (Strike-Confirmed); O’Neill (Strike-Overturned to Ball).<\/p>\n Pitch timer violations_Garcia (pitcher).<\/p>\n Umpires_Home, Brian O’Nora; First, Chris Segal; Second, Laz Diaz; Third, Erich Bacchus.<\/p>\n T_3:26. A_31,649 (41,000).<\/p>\n Small ball in seventh<\/p>\n Rogers held Houston scoreless into the seventh inning, scattering five singles to that point. He navigated three singles in a scoreless first, erasing one with a double play and striking out Walker with men on first and third to end the inning. No other Astro reached third base until the seventh.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The bottom of the lineup sparked a rally. Zach Dezenzo lined a single to right field. Lucas Spence,\u00a0playing in his second major-league game<\/a>\u00a0and getting a start against a left-handed pitcher, served a Rogers cutter into right for a single, sending Dezenzo to third.<\/p>\n Spence, a left-handed hitter, had two singles against Rogers. He also got a late-game at-bat Friday against a left-handed reliever and bounced a single up the middle. Espada said he had liked Spence\u2019s at-bats and \u201chopefully he can settle in and be a good at-bat against both righties and lefties.\u201d<\/p>\n His single chased Rogers at 99 pitches. Rico Garcia entered to face Allen, who had replaced\u00a0Pe\u00f1a in the fourth inning. In a 1-1 count, Allen executed a squeeze bunt. Dezenzo scored to tie the game. After the Orioles intentionally walked Alvarez, Garcia retired Paredes to preserve the tie.<\/p>\n Five from Arrighetti<\/p>\n Arrighetti posted an 8.74 ERA in his last seven starts before the All-Star break. The impending return of starters Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski from the injured list could produce a rotation logjam soon. Espada did not downplay the significance of Arrighetti\u2019s outing pregame Saturday.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a big start for him,\u201d Espada said. \u201cHe knows we need him to step up and throw the ball well. He\u2019s got the stuff, he\u2019s capable of doing it, so hopefully he\u2019s able to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n Arrighetti gave the Astros five innings of one-run ball. He allowed just one hit but had command lapses that created some stressful situations and raised his pitch count. He walked four batters and hit one yet struck out six and kept his only damaging inning from spiraling.<\/p>\n Two walks in the third did not hurt him. In the fourth, Arrighetti issued a leadoff walk to Pete Alonso and clipped Samuel Basallo with an errant curveball. He then fell behind 2-0 to Beavers, who pulled a center-cut fastball into the right-field corner for a double. Alonso scored. Basallo lumbered to third.<\/p>\n Arrighetti induced a ground out by Colton Cowser and a pop-up from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, then froze Jackson Holliday with a third-strike curveball to stem the inning, during which Blubaugh started to warm. He retired his final six batters in a row and exited after the fifth at 85 pitches.<\/p>\n \u201cBeen really grinding to make some adjustments in my delivery, so it\u2019s starting to feel a little bit better,\u201d Arrighetti said. \u201cSpraying it a little bit in the fourth inning, I would kind of just attribute to getting a little bit away from the changes I had been making. But we were able to correct that between the fourth and the fifth and I felt really good going back out there in the fifth.\u201d<\/p>\n Hunter Brown and Peter Lambert are solidified in the rotation. Tatsuya Imai\u2019s spot could be insulated by his contract. Blanco appears on the brink of returning, with Wesneski possibly another rehab start away. Arrighetti perhaps aided his own case Saturday with one of his better outings since May.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said it probably a hundred times this year, I just want to give the team a chance to win every time I take the ball, and I feel like I did that today,\u201d Arrighetti said. \u201cJust want to keep building on that, building on the stuff ticking up, building on just feeling a little bit more in control with things when I go out there. So yeah, it was definitely big for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a exits<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a was removed from the game after the third inning due to what the Astros termed a right hamstring cramp, the second time that has occurred this season.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a, batting in the bottom of the third, took a swing on a foul ball and was visited by a team trainer and Espada. Pe\u00f1a appeared to be shaking out his right leg during the discussion. He stayed in to finish the at-bat and struck out swinging on the next pitch. Allen then replaced him on defense in the fourth.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce he took the last swing, it cramped up again, so we just took him out to make sure we take care of it,\u201d Espada said.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a has missed time to injuries in both legs this season.\u00a0He missed more than a month<\/a>\u00a0due to a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, returning on May 18. He also left a game in Toronto in June with a right hamstring cramp.\u00a0He then missed 10 days before the All-Star break<\/a>\u00a0with a left calf strain.<\/p>\n Walker exits, too<\/p>\n Shortly after Pe\u00f1a\u2019s removal, Walker left the game with a trainer mid-at-bat. The Astros said Walker was removed due to \u201cright hip tightness.\u201d<\/p>\n In the bottom of the fourth, Walker took a check-swing and promptly reached for and stretched out his right side. Espada and a trainer emerged from the dugout. Walker was removed after a talk and without seeing another pitch. Wade finished the at-bat and stayed in the game at first base.<\/p>\n Walker entered Saturday with a .234\/.311\/.457 slash line this season. He was hit on the right hand by a pitch Friday night but imaging showed no fracture, Espada said pregame. Walker has played in 98 of the Astros\u2019 100 games this season, tied with Alvarez and Cam Smith for most on the team.<\/p>\n On Javier<\/p>\n Cristian Javier, who started Houston\u2019s final game before the All-Star break, is back in the bullpen during this series. Espada said Javier is \u201cavailable out of the pen for the time being\u201d while the Astros decide on their starting plans for upcoming series against the Marlins and White Sox.<\/p>\n Javier, the highest-paid pitcher on Houston\u2019s roster, was placed in the bullpen upon returning early this month from a shoulder strain. He started\u00a0Sunday\u2019s game at Texas<\/a>\u00a0in the spot vacated by Mike Burrows\u2019 option to Triple-A\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and subsequent IL placement<\/a> \u2014 and threw three innings on 60 pitches<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Yordan Alvarez delivered the tying hit in the 10th inning Saturday, but the Astros couldn’t follow with the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378492,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[56,58,57],"class_list":["post-378491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nR
\nH
\nBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nAvg.<\/p>\n
\n36
\n4
\n5
\n4
\n6
\n15<\/p>\n
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n.251<\/p>\n
\n5
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n.219<\/p>\n
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n.253<\/p>\n
\n3
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n1
\n.248<\/p>\n
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n.242<\/p>\n
\n3
\n0
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n.237<\/p>\n
\n2
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n.199<\/p>\n
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.212<\/p>\n
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.193<\/p>\n
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n.239<\/p>\n
\n5
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\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.200<\/p>\n
\n2
\n0
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\n2
\n.211<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n.252<\/p>\n
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\nBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nAvg.<\/p>\n
\n41
\n2
\n9
\n2
\n2
\n10<\/p>\n
\n2
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
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\n.295<\/p>\n
\n2
\n0
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\n1
\n0
\n1
\n.247<\/p>\n
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n.320<\/p>\n
\n5
\n0
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\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.254<\/p>\n
\n5
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.231<\/p>\n
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.234<\/p>\n
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n.222<\/p>\n
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.241<\/p>\n
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n.212<\/p>\n
\n5
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n.242<\/p>\n
\n4
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.429<\/p>\n
\n000
\n100
\n000<\/p>\n
\n2<\/p>\n
\n000
\n000
\n100<\/p>\n
\n0<\/p>\n
\nR
\nER
\nBB
\nSO
\nNP
\nERA<\/p>\n
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n8
\n99
\n4.28<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n9
\n2.57<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n10
\n2.25<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n14
\n2.89<\/p>\n
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n10
\n4.00<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n9
\n7.36<\/p>\n
\nR
\nER
\nBB
\nSO
\nNP
\nERA<\/p>\n
\n1
\n1
\n4
\n6
\n85
\n4.34<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n40
\n3.63<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n15
\n5.62<\/p>\n
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n13
\n1.10<\/p>\n
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n14
\n2.22<\/p>\n
\n2
\n1
\n1
\n2
\n25
\n4.34<\/p>\n