Orioles drop Game 1, 4-3, after rallying to tie

Getting a baserunner against Justin Verlander today eased some of the pressure on the Orioles. An Adam Jones double with two outs in the fourth inning, an infield hit for Renato Núñez with one out in the fifth. A little something to break the strikeout monotony.

Dylan Bundy was working on a three-hit shutout through the fifth and happened to be the second-best pitcher in the game. His six strikeouts were four fewer than Verlander's total. And nobody likes a showoff.

Tony Kemp led off the sixth with a walk and George Springer and Carlos Correa hit back-to-back home runs to destroy the scoreless angle. DJ Stewart destroyed a pitch from reliever Joe Smith in the seventh for a game-tying three-run homer.

The Orioles just needed Verlander to leave. Doesn't he have someone waiting for him?

The Astros still found a way to win, however, because that's what World Series champions usually do, with Correa's two-out double off Sean Gilmartin in the ninth scoring Springer for a 4-3 victory in Game 1 at Camden Yards.

Springer walked with two outs and raced home on Correa's shot into right-center field. Gilmartin had stranded two runners in the eighth and came back out.

Trey Mancini and Tim Beckham singled off Hector Rondon with no outs in the ninth, but Núñez grounded into a 5-3 double play to slow the roll.

Bundy's club-record home run total rose to 41 and the Orioles suffered their 114th loss. He finishes the season with a 5.45 ERA in a team-leading and career-high 31 starts over 171 2/3 innings. He posted 15 quality starts.

Springer pounced on a 93 mph fastball with the count full and put it deep into the left field seats, with Statcast estimating the distance at 419 feet. Correa lined the next pitch, a changeup, over the grounds crew shed in right for a 3-0 lead.

It appeared to be insurmountable even before Correa got into the act.

Bundy was given the choice of starting Game 1 or 2 and chose the opener. He had a 2.07 ERA, 0.934 WHIP and .183 average-against in nine day games this season and a 7.48 ERA, 1.701 WHIP and .321 average-against in 21 night games.

Verlander struck out seven of the first nine Orioles and notched his 55th career game with 10 or more. He allowed three hits over six innings, with one walk and 10 strikeouts. An act too tough for Smith to follow.

Beckham doubled with one out, Núñez walked and Stewart hit his third major league home run.

Caleb Joseph led off the sixth with an infield hit on the 15th pitch of the at-bat, but he slid early into Correa, who attempted to tag him after fielding Cedric Mullins' ground ball, and second base umpire Chad Whitson also ruled the rookie out on a double play. Joseph argued that Correa stuck out his leg, but Whitson said Joseph grabbed it and upended him.

Manager Buck Showalter argued the call, to no avail. Jonathan Villar walked, but Jones grounded out after receiving another standing ovation.

Cody Carroll replaced Bundy in the seventh and struck out Correa to strand two runners after a single and walk with two outs.