Astros rally past ChiSox
HOUSTON—Evan Gattis drove in two runs in a four-run seventh inning and the Houston Astros continued their late-inning magic as they rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
The Astros have scored a major league-leading 94 runs in the seventh inning or later this season.
They trailed by one entering the seventh before a leadoff single by Chris Carter knocked starter Ubaldo Jimenez out of the game. He was replaced by Brad Brach (3-1), who walked Luis Valbuena before a single by pinch-hitter Hank Conger loaded the bases.
George Springer singled to tie it up with one out before Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly put Houston on top. Gattis drove in two more to make it 5-2.
Will Harris (2-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the win and Luke Gregerson struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 14th save.
Valbuena hit his 11th homer in the fifth inning to give the Astros their first run.
Chris Davis and Ryan Flaherty drove in a run apiece for the Orioles, who were playing outside of the Eastern time zone for the first time this season.
Jimenez yielded four hits and two runs with eight strikeouts in six-plus innings. It was his second straight start against the Astros after throwing seven innings, but not factoring in the decision in Baltimore’s 5-4 win on Wednesday.
Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer was activated from his second stint on the disabled list with a blister on his left index finger before the game to make his second start of the season. He allowed seven hits with two runs and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.
Davis put Baltimore on top 2-1 with a double with one out in the sixth inning to chase Oberholtzer.
He was replaced by Harris, who retired the next two batters to end the threat.
Steve Pearce walked to start the fifth inning and scored on a one-out triple by Flaherty to make it 1-0. That ball landed deep in center field and rolled up Tal’s Hill and away from center fielder Colby Rasmus.