HOUSTON (AP) — What a difference a week makes.
The Baltimore Orioles rebounded from a sweep by the Houston Astros at home last week by completing a three-game sweep of the AL West-leaders with a 5-2 win on Wednesday night.
Austin Hays homered and Ryan Mountcastle drove in two runs to help the Orioles to the victory.
“We’re continuing to improve,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It was a great series. I just hope we continue to play competitive baseball and I was happy with the effort our guys gave this series.”
It’s the first time the Orioles have swept the Astros since June 17-19, 2008 in Baltimore and their first-ever sweep at Minute Maid Park.
“We’re feeling good as a team these last three games,” starter Matt Harvey said.
The Astros outscored the Orioles 26-3 in the sweep last week as part of an 11-game winning streak. The tables turned in this series where the Astros were done in by shaky pitching and an inability to capitalize with runners in scoring position.
“I don’t think we played down to the competition,” manager Dusty Baker said. “They hit us all over the park and they’ve got some high-velocity (relievers). We weren’t playing down to anything. Teams get up for us. No excuse, they just beat us.”
On Wednesday the Orioles jumped on rookie starter Luis Garcia (6-5) for four runs in the first inning. The tough start came after he entered the game having never given up more than three runs in a game in 20 MLB appearances.
The Astros scored two in the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2, but Hays hit his second homer of the series on a solo shot off rookie Ryan Hartman in the eighth to pad the lead.
The Astros have dropped five of six after their season-long 11-game winning streak. Houston leads the majors in runs, hits and batting average, but was just 5 for 26 with…
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