The Orioles last three-game win streak came over 30 games ago. They won three straight July 14-20, wrapping around the All-Star break with a win to end the first half and two to start the second half.

They have not won three straight over a three-day period since taking four in a row from June 26-29. With two wins in the first three games versus Houston, the Orioles tonight look for their first home series win over the Astros since May 25-27, 2015. And a win would give them another three-game win streak.

The Orioles ended Houston's nine-game road winning streak 7-5 Friday night and won again yesterday 3-2.

Earlier today the Yankees beat Colorado 10-3 to improve to 77-54. They lead the Orioles (76-55) by one game pending the O's result tonight. Aaron Judge hit two homers today for New York, hitting No. 50 and No. 51.

Jackson Holliday's three-run, pinch-hit double in the sixth inning Saturday afternoon provided all the O's runs in their 3-2 win. It was Holliday's first pinch-hit appearance in MLB.

Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Daniel Johnson is on the Orioles’ 24-hour taxi squad while center fielder Cedric Mullins is reevaluated for left quadriceps tightness.

Mullins exited Friday's game due to discomfort and so far he's avoided the injured list. Johnson was removed from Norfolk’s game after two at-bats that night, and he’s got a locker at Camden Yards in case Mullins’ quad doesn’t improve enough to let him play.

Johnson, also a left-handed bat, is hitting .267/.333/.479 with 17 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 70 RBIs in 98 games with Norfolk. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2021 with Cleveland.

The Orioles would need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move to accommodate him.

“A lot of at-bats,” Johnson said when asked to explain his success with the Tides. “Get a lot of at-bats, you can do a lot every single day. So just the ABs. It’s an opportunity.”

The Orioles' last two wins were not just comeback wins over an American League division leader, but they were impressive because of the team and pitchers they beat.

Consider that:

* After beating the Orioles 6-0 Thursday, Houston was 4-0 this year over the Orioles by a combined 33-13 score. They were 9-3 their past 12 against the Orioles.

* On Friday the Orioles won a game started by right-hander Hunter Brown, who had a 1.96 ERA in August, a 2.36 ERA since July 12 and the AL’s best ERA since June 1 at 2.33. On Saturday they won a game started by left-hander Framber Valdez, a pitcher in the top 11 for the AL Cy Young Award three times in his career. Houston had won 10 Valdez starts in a row since they lost to the White Sox, of all teams, June 18. Valdez was 8-0 with a 2.39 ERA those past 10 starts. The O’s didn’t exactly light up either pitcher but they won those games against a hot team starting its hottest starters.

* Through Thursday’s win, Houston was 12-3 over the previous 15 games and 14-6 their last 20. They had won nine in a row on the road and were 19-9 the previous 28 away from Houston.

Anthony Santander didn’t save the Orioles season.

So why does it feel that way?

They were on the verge of falling 2 ½ games behind the first-place Yankees, with zero momentum or offensive thrust. The bullpen was a mess, whether middle, late or closing. Teams in the wild card chase were gaining ground.

I don't recommend panicking but I would have understood.

The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning Friday night on a couple of singles and a brain cramp from Astros reliever Bryan Abreu, who fielded a comebacker and bypassed the force at second base or easy out at first. Up stepped Santander, who whipped a crowd of almost 40,000 into an absolute, playoff-feel frenzy with his fourth career grand slam to erase a 5-2 deficit.

For the second game in a row, the contest was moving to the later innings. The O’s offense had been very quiet but the Orioles loaded the bases in the sixth down 2-0 looking for that one big swing.

They got it again today.

Jackson Holliday’s pinch-hit, bases-clearing double turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead today in the last of the sixth. Another big Camden Yards crowd was roaring as the kid ended an 0-for-20 slump in a huge way.

Holliday attacked the first pitch from reliever Tayler Scott, who entered the game with a 1.92 ERA, an OPS against of .543 and a batting average against of .196 when pitching with runners in scoring position.

But Holliday lined Scott's splitter into the gap in right-center at 105.9 mph off the bat to score three for the lead.

Oriole first baseman Ryan Mountcastle could play later tonight depending on how he reacts to treatments on his sore wrist.

Mountcastle was removed from last night’s game in the top of the ninth inning. Ryan O’Hearn switched from right field to first base and Austin Slater batted in Mountcastle’s spot in the bottom of the ninth.

Manager Brandon Hyde said afterward that the wrist gradually became more sore after Mountcastle’s slide into second base on a double in the second inning – one of only three hits for the Orioles.

“He’s better today, it’s a little better,” Hyde said. “He’s getting treatment right now. He’s going to get treatment up until game time, so we’ll see if he’s available or not. It got pretty sore as the game went on last night but it’s a little bit better today.”

The offense needs a boost. Mountcastle hasn’t homered since July 29 and he’s batting .225/.257/.310 this month in 19 games but he has hits in 11 of his last 17, including three on Aug. 10 and two on the 13^th, 16^th and 19^th.

Corbin Burnes shortened his hair and lengthened his start, but what happened tonight wasn’t pretty.

Burnes allowed four runs in the sixth inning and the offense ran cold again in the Orioles’ 6-0 loss to the Astros before an announced crowd of 22,212 at Camden Yards.

The Yankees lead the division by 1 ½ games, the Orioles’ largest deficit since being two back on June 25.

After surrendering a career-high eight runs and 10 hits last week, Burnes was poised to produce his 20^th quality start. However, the Astros sent eight batters to the plate in the sixth, broke open the game and forced manager Brandon Hyde to dig into his bullpen after 5 2/3.

Burnes allowed six runs (five earned) and eight hits. Damage came heavy with two outs in the sixth, when Ben Gamel singled at only 77.8 mph off the bat to drive in a run, Burnes fielded Jake Meyers’ bunt and threw the ball past first base, and Shay Whitcomb delivered a two-run single.

Maybe it is the end of an era. For the first time since the 2021 preseason farm system organizational rankings by MLBPipeline.com, the Orioles are not the No. 1 team.

In the midseason ranking, released Aug. 15, the Tampa Bay Rays are back on top followed by Minnesota, the Orioles now third, then Cleveland and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLBPipeline has been publishing organization rankings twice per calendar year since the preseason of 2015 and no team had been first in six straight rankings until the Orioles did it through the 2024 preseason rating.

Before the O’s run of six straight, Tampa Bay was first three times in a row and before that San Diego four in a row.

The O’s had that amazing run of three straight years of No. 1 ranked players with Adley Rutschman and then Gunnar Henderson and then Jackson Holliday. But now via trades where they dealt some talent and highly ranked players making the majors, the farm ranking is taking an evitable hit.

The Orioles recalled left-hander Cade Povich, who was on their taxi squad, and he’s starting tonight against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Manager Brandon  Hyde confirmed last night that Povich would get the ball.

Reliever Bryan Baker was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk as the corresponding move. That one was anticipated but not revealed until this afternoon.

Povich registered a 6.27 ERA and 1.688 WHIP in eight starts with the Orioles and is 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.107 WHIP in 15 games (14 starts) with Norfolk. He's averaging 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings with the Tides.

MLB Pipeline ranks Povich as the organization’s No. 5 prospect.

Albert Suárez is expected to be pushed back to Sunday. Hyde said yesterday that the club wanted to provide some extra rest for the rotation and downplayed the possibility of a six-man setup.

To say the least, the Orioles have been inconsistent over recent weeks and maybe even going back further than that.

It has been seen big time on this homestand, which started Tuesday with the O's getting blown out 9-3 by the Nationals. Then they put together solid starts by Dean Kremer and Zach Eflin and won back-to-back by 4-1 and 5-1.

But the Orioles have not won three in a row since July 14-20 around the All-Star break. They have now had five chances to win three in a row since then but are 0-5 in those games.

Friday night they lost 12-10 as Boston evened the four-game series at a win each.

It was surely surprising, even stunning, to see Corbin Burnes allow a career-high eight runs on 10 hits over four innings. In two earlier starts this year versus Boston he had allowed one run in 14 innings as the Red Sox went 5-for-47 (.106) at bat. Last night Boston was 10-for-22 (.455) with three doubles and two homers.

Orioles reliever Danny Coulombe is beyond the beginning stages of his throwing progression.

Coulombe smiles as he provides the latest update, which includes playing catch from 90 feet.

“I’ve been revving up my throwing,” he said yesterday. “I’m on track, so hopefully it just keeps going well. And as long as it keeps going well, we’ll keep going.”

Coulombe was shut down and underwent surgery on June 18 to remove bone chips from his left elbow. He knew that he hadn’t torn his ulnar collateral ligament again. The pain was in a different spot, but it cost the Orioles a top high-leverage reliever who held right-handers to a .130 average and .490 OPS and left-handers to a .171 average and .400 OPS.

The Orioles could have Coulombe increase the distance on his throwing. That’s how it usually works.

Corbin Burnes lost his catcher tonight shortly before the national anthem. He warmed and then paused while a member of the grounds crew ran onto the field with a rubber cleat cleaner and hammer, using spikes to secure it behind the mound. Burnes got the green light to pitch and surrendered multiple runs in the first inning for the only time in his 25 outings with the Orioles.

Typical wasn’t part of the game plan. Nothing around him seemed right.

A 20^th quality start would elude Burnes after Rafael Devers' two-run homer in the third. Two Red Sox batters already were halfway to the cycle. The Orioles were careening toward a loss on Burnes’ bobblehead night.

The heads nodded but also shook at the absurdity that unfolded at Camden Yards.

Burnes allowed a career-high eight runs and 10 hits in four innings, the tie provided to him unraveling in a flash, and the Red Sox hung on for a 12-10 victory before an announced crowd of 34,541.

The Orioles who have lost only two American League East series this year - one to the Yankees, one to the Blue Jays - get back into division play tonight when they host Boston to start a four-game series at Oriole Park.

The Orioles (71-50) and the third-place Red Sox (63-56) are the only two clubs in the division that have winning records in 2024 in AL East games.

.667 - Orioles (26-13)
.519 - Boston (14-13)
.489 - New York (22-23)
.425 - Tampa Bay (17-23)
.415 - Toronto (17-24)

The Orioles are 8-2-2 this season in 12 AL East series. They are 18-2-6 their past 26 division series dating to early last April.

The Birds are 5-1 this season versus Boston, sweeping three in Boston from April 9-11 and going 2-1 at home May 27-29. The O's in this series have a chance to win each of their first three series against Boston in a season for the first time since 1976.

Zach Eflin makes his fourth Orioles start tonight to kick off a four-game series against the Red Sox.

Eflin is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA since joining the Orioles. He’s allowed five runs in 19 1/3 innings.

In his only start against the Red Sox this season, Eflin allowed three runs and six hits over five innings at Fenway Park. He’s faced them five times and gone 2-0 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.417 WHIP in 24 innings.

Rafael Devers is 6-for-13 with three doubles and two home runs against Eflin. Dominic Smith is 7-for-21 with four doubles.

Eflin and Kyle Gibson are the only Orioles to win their first three starts with their new team in their first three appearances, per STATS. Ben McDonald won his first five starts beginning July 21, 1990 after 12 relief appearances.

Austin Slater is leading off and playing left field tonight and Coby Mayo is at third base against a left-handed opposing starter.

Eloy Jiménez is the designated hitter. Colton Cowser is in center field.

Jackson Holliday stays at second base and is batting ninth.

Dean Kremer has made two career starts against the Nationals and is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.

Kremer has held opponents to a .523 OPS his first time through the order, compared to .817 for the rest of the game.

The home clubhouse at Camden Yards had new lockers for four players who joined the Orioles on the road trip. Among them was left-hander Trevor Rogers, who made his first career start tonight in Baltimore.

Anthony Santander was in his usual spot in the back row and on the field. He’s become a constant. And now he’s a record holder.

Santander tied the game in the third inning with his 36^th home run, the most by an Orioles switch-hitter. Ken Singleton had 35 in 1979.

The Orioles went to the World Series that year. Santander is swinging the bat like he’s trying to carry his team deep into the postseason. But he’ll need some cooperation. The offense can’t keep shutting down. More outs are needed from the rotation. More trust must be earned in the bullpen.

Rogers was removed at 78 pitches after James Wood’s leadoff single in the sixth, with four runs and seven hits on his line. Bryan Baker let an inherited runner score and two of his own, and the Orioles lost to the Nationals 9-3 before an announced crowd of 28,058 at Camden Yards.

James Wood and Jackson Holliday have been dueling all season. Not on the diamond, but in rankings as two of the top prospects in baseball.

In whatever order you put them in as two of the best young players in the sport, Wood and Holliday take center stage as they face off on a major league field over the next two nights for the first time in their promising careers.

Holliday has been the top prospect in the sport for the better part of the last year. The Orioles selected him with the No. 1 overall pick out of high school two years ago. Last year, he claimed the top spot in almost every prospect ranking by playing at four different minor league levels in his first full professional season.

Some expected Holliday to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster out of spring training. But he started this year at Triple-A and made his major league debut on April 10. Although highly anticipated, he struggled during his first stint in the big leagues.

In 10 games, Holliday went 2-for-34 (.059) with a .170 OPS and 18 strikeouts. He was optioned back to Triple-A on April 26, where he also spent some time on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. He even strictly served as the designated hitter over three weeks when he returned from his injury.

What do my mailbag and mimosas have in common? They both can be bottomless.

Next question: Anyone surprised that I chose to use mimosas as a comparison? The options were plentiful.

I had some extras from the last mailbag, which led us to the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original.

Also, my leftovers stay fresh for days and yours change colors overnight.

Is Jackson Holliday here to stay forever?
In the majors? Yeah, he’s planted like a redwood. With the Orioles? Well, stay tuned.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo remains with the club on its road trip that concludes today. He’s on the 60-day injured list with a left elbow subluxation.

Mateo hasn’t undergone surgery at this point. He’s got another medical appointment that the club says will determine the plan.

Mateo wears a brace on his arm occasionally and is allowed to remove it.

The Orioles go for another Tropicana Field sweep this afternoon with Coby Mayo making his first start in his home state.

Mayo is 0-for-13 with two walks and eight strikeouts since his promotion.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde knew that the Rays would use right-hander Drew Rasmussen as an opener tonight and left-hander Tyler Alexander was prepped to follow. He knows that ace Corbin Burnes gives his club a chance to win anytime the four-time All-Star is on the mound.

What couldn’t be predicted was the manner in which the rest of the game played out. How Ramón Urías, the ninth hitter in the lineup, would impact it.

The fifth inning bit Burnes again but he registered his 19^th quality start and the Orioles carried a slim lead into the seventh, where it disappeared on José Caballero’s game-tying home run off Burch Smith. Perhaps a situation fitted for Jacob Webb if he didn’t land on the injured list.

Jackson Holliday, who hit his first left-on-left homer in the majors earlier in the game, drew a leadoff walk against lefty Colin Poche in the eighth, Hyde stuck with Urías rather than going to his bench, and the infielder rewarded him with a two-run homer in the Orioles’ 7-5 win over the Rays before an announced crowd of 23,898 at Tropicana Field.

The Yankees split their doubleheader with the Rangers, leaving the Orioles (70-48) one game ahead in the division race. They’re the first team to 70 wins.