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Technically, for the Orioles to face the team with the best record in the American League and take two of three games IS good...but not at this point in the season, where every game matters. Not last night, when there was a game to be gained on Seattle. And not the way it happened: a well-rested bullpen squandering a totally winnable game with a nine-run collapse.
It sucks. But there is still Sunday baseball to be played, so scrape yourself off the floor and get behind the Birds and Austin Voth today!
The right-hander Voth has been a ridiculous under-the-radar pickup for Baltimore, which somehow helped him flip a 10-plus ERA through June with Washington into a 2.84 ERA in 15 games as an Oriole. His slider and curveball have been key factors in the renaissance. Voth’s stats facing the Astros this season have been good (they’ve been good against basically every team): the last time he saw them, on August 28, he went six innings and allowed just one run on a hit and three walks.
Houston waited until Saturday to announce today’s starter, Cristian Javier. It’s the right-hander’s first full professional season as a starter, and he’s repaying Houston’s trust in him, with a 10-9 record and 2.77 ERA in 28 games. That includes an 0.55 ERA over 16.1 innings in September. Javier throws a four-seam fastball 60% of the time, the slider 28%, with a sprinkling of changeup and curve.
Javier is no slouch, but Houston has thrown scarier things at Baltimore hitters this series. After taking down the formidable duo of José Urquidy and probable Cy Young front runner Justin Verlander, and doing major damage to Frámber Valdez last night, this is a game the Orioles could win, even if it seems largely guaranteed they’re playing for pride at this point.
Orioles lineup
Astros lineup
