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It couldn't last forever. We all wanted to hold onto this feeling forever, but such is baseball.
The Astros had won seven games in a row and had their 2014 ace on the mound. This game seemed like the easiest one to chalk up a W before it got started, other than Keuchel's start earlier in the streak, but again, such is baseball.
Keuchel looked pretty good again, though. Hindsight being 20/20, the Astros should have challenged the call on Nick Markakis's double to start the game, as he was clearly tagged out. Instead, Nelson Cruz drove in Markakis with a sac fly later in the inning to make it 1-0, O's.
In the second, the Astros missed a huge opportunity to get Keuchel a lead as Robbie Grossman came up with an infield single that died on the first base line to tie the game. But with one out Marwin Gonzalez popped out and Jose Altuve was robbed of extra bases by Markakis in the right field corner to end the inning.
The Astros only other true chances came in the third when they put runners on first and second with two outs and did not score. Jason Castro also reached third with one out in the sixth inning, only for Marc Krauss and Alex Presley to fly out.
Following the first run, Keuchel rolled into the fifth inning without much trouble. But in the fifth, Manny Machado and Caleb Jospeh both singled to put runners on first and third with two outs. Then things got ugly for Dallas.
Keuchel walked Nick Markakis to load the bases and then walked Steve Pearce on a 3-1 count to score a run, followed by a walk of Nelson Cruz on a 3-2 pitch to make it a 3-1 Orioles lead. The Astros lefty had walked only four batters in five previous May starts before the trio of free passes.
Cruz added a solo shot off Jerome Williams in the eighth to round out the scoring.
As for the Astros offense, it has quickly gotten quiet since returning home from its Kansas City rampage. Houston has scored only six runs in three games so far in the series, but its pretty cool for the 2014 Astros to have a pitching staff, and especially a bullpen, to carry them to two of three wins so far vs. Baltimore.
George Springer has not had a hit in his last eight at-bats and Jose Altuve's nine-game hit streak has come to an end. WHAT IS HAPPENING?!
Well, what is happening is the Astros are still over .500 for the month of May. And tomorrow Houston will send Scott Feldman to the hill, looking for the team's 16th win of the month.