HOUSTON — The Orioles are finding different ways to win games these days.
On Friday, it was an eighth-inning two-run homer from Taylor Ward that propelled them to victory — their fifth straight win at the time.
A day later, Tyler O’Neill’s game-saving throw in the 10th inning followed by his go-ahead RBI single in the 11th propelled the Orioles past the Astros, 4-2, on Saturday at Daikin Park.
“This is good, man,” O’Neill said. “Six [wins] in a row, longest of the year so far. We know we got some ground to make up, and we’re not satisfied either. We’re coming for a win again tomorrow, all hands on deck.”
The Orioles have won six straight games for the first time since May 30-June 5, 2025.
“This team has done a phenomenal job of not riding the emotional roller coaster,” Pete Alonso said prior to Saturday’s game. “That has to be steadfast, and we’re not on that ride. We’re staying even-keeled, we’re preparing, we’re working and doing things that we need to do to get ready to play every night.”
With two outs in the 11th, O’Neill hit a slow bouncing chopper towards Jose Altuve at second base. O’Neill sprinted down the first-base line to beat out the throw.
“I always try to bust it down the line as best I could,” O’Neill said. “Sometimes it helps not to hit it on the barrel. It was good that we were able to find a hole there.”
At the same time, automatic runner Gunnar Henderson raced around from second base to score on the play, making it 3-2.
“It was a grindy at-bat,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “[Enyel] De Los Santos is a tough matchup. But just the ability to move the ball forward there was huge. The 3-2 count, two outs and [Henderson] just running with a full head of steam and didn’t slow down, that was huge for us.”
Baltimore made it 4-2 with an RBI single to center from Leody Taveras, which scored Taylor Ward from third base. De Los Santos was tabbed with the loss.
Cam Sanders came in for the Orioles in the 11th and set down the side in order for his first save of the season. Andrew Kittredge, who pitched the 10th inning, got his first win of the season.
“That was a momentum win,” Kittredge said. “I know we’re playing good ball right now, and you can kind of point to a lot of the wins we’ve had in the last week and even before the All-Star break. But that was definitely a momentum win, and hopefully, we keep that going.”
Everything that occurred in the 11th would not have been possible if O’Neill hadn’t played hero on defense just an inning prior.
In the 10th, with no outs, the bases loaded and the game-winning run standing at third base for the Astros, Altuve hit a fly ball to shallow center field.
With the Orioles playing a five-man infield and the right fielder O’Neill positioned in right-center, he ranged to his right, made the catch and hurled it towards home plate, falling to the ground in the process. Catcher Samuel Basallo made a nice tag on Nick Allen for the crucial double play.
“Just got a good ball to throw on,” O’Neill said. “I was able to run into it a little bit, obviously it was a little to my right. Kind of got some good momentum going behind it, just chucked it and [Basallo] did the rest from there.”
Albernaz added: “That was a huge play, which is an understatement. Not only to range over there and get behind the ball and make a strong accurate throw. Great tag by Samuel.”
Orioles starter Trevor Rogers gave up one run on seven hits and one walk in 6 1/3 innings, while striking out a season-high eight batters. Rogers was handed a no-decision for the second straight start.
Rogers set down nine straight batters at one point, including striking out the side in the third inning — including a punchout of American League MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez on a 93 mph sinker on the outside corner to end the frame.
The Orioles were able to reward Rogers’ strong start with a win, their fifth such victory in a game he has started.
“That’s the type of win that I knew that this team could produce all season long,” Rogers said. “Everyone else believed that too.”
