Kevin Gausman and Matt Wieters on the win over Texas

So over the last three games, the Orioles have won games started by Toronto's Aaron Sanchez and by Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels of the Texas Rangers. Sanchez was first in the American League in ERA when they faced him and Hamels was second when he took the mound tonight.

But the Orioles scored three in the first off Hamels and their pitching made it stand up for a 3-2 win. Kevin Gausman needed 50 pitches to get through the first two innings, when he allowed single runs each inning. And then he needed just 58 pitches over the next five scoreless innings. He allowed seven hits and two runs over seven innings and is 3-8 with an ERA of 4.08. Over his past four home starts, Gausman has an ERA of 0.98.

What was the reason tonight for the slow start before he settled in?

"I think just fastball command, more than anything," Gausman said. "Felt really good early on but they were also really tough early on. They didn't go after many changeups or splits down. But just tried to throw more strikes. But definitely got better as the game went on."

And he got the win against Hamels, who began the game at 12-2 with an ERA of 2.84 and an ERA of 0.84 in three second-half starts.

"Yeah, he's one of the best starting pitchers in the game and has been great, really his whole career," Gausman said. "You know when the guys put up three on him, I knew that probably wasn't going to happen again. Runs are at a premium in games like this. You knew he'd lock it down, so I tried to do the same thing."

The Orioles now have a series win against AL Central-leading Texas and now go for a sweep after pinning loses on Darvish and Hamels on back-to-back nights.

"It's big," Gausman said. "They are a very good baseball team and they kind of had our number really this year. But to come out and get the first two is huge and we'll look for a sweep tomorrow. But that is a tough lineup, especially with the two guys they picked up (Carlos Beltran and Jonathan Lucroy). Good pitching staff and and an explosive lineup, so when you can beat a team two games in a row like that, it's huge."

Gausman's outing tonight was a nice bounceback game from Friday in Toronto when he allowed three homers in the first inning. Now we see if he can build on it.

Catcher Matt Wieters thinks he can.

"I think what is big for him is in-game adjustments," Wieters said. "The one thing he is coming along with is in-game adjustments. Knowing that if his best stuff isn't there in the first or second, he might have it in the fourth or fifth. You keep hanging on, giving us a chance and getting us back in the dugout."

Gausman really had to hang on during the top of the second. He led 3-1 and gave up a run to make it 3-2, but he survived a 35-pitch inning that seemed to fuel the rest of his night and the five zeroes he would put up after that.

"Yeah, they put some good at-bats against him and took some tough pitches," Wieters said. "But he kept going and was able to keep throwing strikes and keep throwing strikes. It was a big learning experience for him today. That is a good lineup that puts together good at-bats, but if you make good pitches, pitching is going to win over hitting most nights."

Wieters produced a big two-out, two-run single in the first inning as the Orioles scored three in the first off Hamels, who took his third loss of 2016.

"Anytime you can put up a big inning against Hamels, it's good, because he's tough.," said Wieters, who is 2-for-6 with three RBIs in the series. "Kevin and Darren (O'Day) and Zach (Britton) did a great job of making those three runs hold up. That's a great job out of our staff.

"(Steve) Pearce had a great at-bat in front of me. Stevie laid off some good changeups and I knew Hamels was going to come after me a little bit. So I was able to get a fastball in the middle and get it through. Took a good swing last night and a couple tonight, so feeling better and hope to keep it going."

The Orioles had lost seven of their last eight and nine of 10 against Texas at the start of this series. The Rangers were 7-2 their last nine games before losing two in Baltimore. The Orioles are 61-45 overall and 39-16 at home where they are 22-6 in there last 28 games.

Britton earned his 33rd save and moved into sole possession of third place on the Orioles all-time saves list with 106 career saves, passing Tippy Martinez. Britton now holds the club record for most saves by a left-handed pitcher.

By going 33-for-33 in save opportunities to start the season, according to STATS, LLC., Britton set the major league record for the longest saves streak in as many chances to start a year by a left-handed pitcher. He passed Willie Hernandez of the 1984 Detroit Tigers who began 32-for-32. Britton's 33 straight saves are tied for the seventh-longest stretch in major league history.