How Houston Avoided the Sweep: Three Things the Astros Got Right Against Baltimore

The Houston Astros came into Game 2 of their doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles trying to avoid a sweep after dropping the first game 10-3. Despite that, manager Joe Espada stuck with his plan and gave both Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve the day off, a decision that easily could have gone the other way.

Instead, the Astros answered in a big way.

Houston rolled to an 11-5 win at Camden Yards, putting together one of their most complete performances in weeks. It wasn’t just one thing that carried them. The Astros got it done with an early offensive surge, production up and down the lineup, and a strong outing from Lance McCullers Jr .

1: The Astros Delivered an Explosive Start

Houston wasted no time going after Orioles starter Brandon Young . Dustin Harris got things going with a two-run single, and later, Cam Smith crushed a three-run homer to jump out to a big early lead. Before Baltimore could even settle in, the Astros had already built a 5-0 advantage.

After scoring just three runs in Game 1, the Astros looked like a completely different team at the plate.

2: Houston’s Depth Delivered

With Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve having the day off, the Astros were counting on their depth to carry the load, and they did exactly that.

Dustin Harris led the way with three RBIs, continuing to make an impact since joining the team. Cam Smith broke out of his recent slump in a big way with a three-run homer, and Yainer Diaz stayed hot with three hits of his own. Isaac Paredes added two hits and scored twice, while Christian Walker chipped in with a pair of hits as well.

By the end of it, every Astros starter had recorded at least one hit, which shows just how complete the effort was.

3: Lance McCullers Jr. Stabilized the Game

The Astros got exactly what they needed on the mound from Lance McCullers Jr. He went a season-high six innings, allowed just two hits, and struck out nine, turning in one of his stronger outings of the year.

McCullers issued four walks and ran into some trouble in the fourth inning, where he gave up all three of his runs. But instead of letting things spiral, he settled back in and finished his outing on a much better note.

After the bullpen was heavily used in Game 1, Houston needed their starter to go deep into the game, and McCullers delivered.