One swing of Kyle Tucker’s bat turned what would have been one of the Orioles’ best wins of the season into one of their worst losses.
Félix Bautista entered his office Tuesday evening with a three-run lead — an advantage almost insurmountable against a pitcher having the type of season Baltimore’s closer is. But the 6-foot-8 right-hander allowed three of the first four Houston Astros batters to reach, bringing up Tucker with the bases loaded. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, the two-time All-Star turned on a center-cut 100.4 mph fastball and deposited it into the right field bleachers.
The grand slam was enough for Astros closer Ryan Pressly, who slammed the door in the ninth, as Houston won, 7-6, and ended Baltimore’s four-game winning streak. Pressly retired Jordan Westburg, Adam Frazier and Ryan O’Hearn in order to end the game.
The last time Bautista had allowed a run was June 24, as the second-year reliever posted one of the best first halves by a closer in Orioles history to earn an All-Star Game appearance. Entering Tuesday, Bautista had surrendered just five earned runs in 52 2/3 innings. He gave up four — just enough for the Astros to win — in Tuesday’s loss, his second of the season.
The blown save — Bautista’s sixth of the season compared with 30 saves — dampened what would’ve been an impressive victory. Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman hit early home runs, Jorge Mateo made a highlight-reel catch at his new spot in center field, and starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez outpitched Houston ace Framber Valdez.
But Tucker’s big swing erased those contributions, dropping the American League-best Orioles to 70-43.
Facing Valdez, who threw a no-hitter last week, Mountcastle ensured that wouldn’t be the case Tuesday. The first baseman clobbered a 472-foot home run — the longest by an Oriole at Camden Yards since 2015 — to give Baltimore an early 2-0 lead. Rutschman then took Valdez deep in the second for another two-run shot to extend the lead to five. The Orioles’ other two runs came off James McCann’s bat, as the backup catcher drove in Ramón Urías on a ground ball in the second and Westburg on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
The early lead appeared to be plenty for Rodriguez and the Orioles’ bullpen. The 22-year-old rookie delivered another solid start as he’s displayed improved command and confidence since returning from Triple-A to begin the second half of the season. Rodriguez allowed two runs in six innings — his second time completing the sixth in his past three starts after not doing so in his first 12 — for the third win of his career. He was aided by a leaping catch at the wall by Mateo, a shortstop starting just his second game at center field since becoming an Oriole.
This story will be updated.
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