O's game blog: Grayson Rodriguez gets the start in Houston series opener

HOUSTON – After a stunning 17-5 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday, which gave the O’s two wins in three games that series, their road show has arrived in Houston for a weekend series against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

The Orioles (49-25) are on a 107-win pace after winning back-to-back series from Philadelphia and New York.

Overall they have won four of their past five, 10 of 13, 15 of 21 and 20 of their last 27 games. They are now 24-11 on the road and score 5.6 runs per game in road contests this season.

The Orioles have gone 5-2 this season against New York and are 19-7 for the year in division games.

Their 17 runs topped their previous season high of 13 runs on March 30 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Their 19 hits topped the previous season's high of 15. The 12-run win was the largest victory margin of the year topping their 11-1 win on May 5 at Cincinnati.

In the last two games at Yankee Stadium, they scored 24 runs on 30 hits with 12 doubles and four homers. They went 14-for-44 batting with runners in scoring position.

After their blowout win yesterday, the Orioles now lead MLB in both runs scored with 390 and fewest runs allowed at 265. They lead the majors in homers per game (1.61), runs per game (5.27) and slugging percentage at .455. Baltimore's team ERA of 3.13 leads the AL and is tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for best ERA in all of MLB. 

Now they face a Houston franchise that has played in the American League Championship Series or the World Series for seven straight seasons from 2017 through 2023.

But after winning the 2022 World Series with 106 wins and winning 90 games last season, this Houston club is 35-40. The Astros began the year at 1-5 and 4-11. They got within five games of .500 earlier on May 17 and are 15-15 since then. Houston, which is 19-19 at home, is 3-7 against AL East clubs.

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (8-2, 3.20 ERA), a pitcher on a pretty good roll right now, will start the series opener tonight for the Orioles.

Rodriguez has allowed two runs or less in three straight starts and in six of his past seven games. In the past three, he is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA with two walks and 16 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings.

In his past seven games since April 29, he is 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA. In this span, he has walked 14 and fanned 43 in 42 innings allowing a .205 batting average and .591 OPS.

This season lefty batters are hitting .205 with a .607 OPS against Rodriguez while right-handers bat .262/.753.

In one career start versus Houston, Rodriguez is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA allowing two runs over six innings. Tonight he is pitching in the city where he was born and the O's drafted him with the No. 11 pick in round one of the 2018 MLB Draft out of a high school in Nacogdoches, Tex., which is about two hours north of Houston. 

Houston tonight will start a pitcher making his MLB debut, one that was drafted just last year and one that has not yet even pitched at the Triple-A level.

Right-hander Jake Bloss, who turns 23 Sunday, will be getting the start after throwing four outings to begin this year in High-A ball and then making eight starts at Double-A Corpus Christi.

In those 12 games combined, Bloss has gone 4-2 with a 1.74 ERA and has given up just 30 hits over 62 innings with an 0.82 WHIP and .144 batting average against.