Orioles blank Astros to win season finale

The Orioles lost a lot of games during the 2018 season. But they didn't lose their last one. They used a four-run fourth and got a combined three-pitcher shutout today as they blanked Houston 4-0 in front of 24,916 at Oriole Park.

On the final day, Jimmy Yacabonis, Paul Fry and Mychal Givens threw a combined one-hitter. The Orioles recorded their seventh shutout. Fry picked up his first major league win.

The Orioles end the 2018 season with a record of 47-115. The year produced the fewest wins and, of course, most losses in club history. The O's won just five of their last 16 and seven of the last 28 games. They finished 28-53 at Oriole Park.

Houston ends the regular season at 103-59 and now moves on to face Cleveland starting Friday in the American League Division Series.

The day featured several long and loud ovations for Orioles outfielder Adam Jones, who may have played his final game in Baltimore. An hour before the game, Jones was on the field and gave some fans bats and balls. The fans did their part during the game and the loudest ovation came when Jones was replaced by Joey Rickard and ran off the field to start the top of the ninth. Jones went 0-for-4 today, but the fans didn't seem too concerned about that.

Coming off an outing where he left with a sore shoulder after one inning, Houston held starter Charlie Morton to three innings today. He held the Orioles scoreless on one hit over 34 pitches.

But Baltimore quickly got to his replacement, right-hander Brad Peacock, for a four-spot in the home fourth. Jonathan Villar led off with a double and stole third with one out. He scored on Trey Mancini's single to left for the 1-0 lead. Tim Beckham followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0 and then scored on a Renato Núñez double for a 3-0 edge. Núñez went to third on a DJ Stewart infield single. When Stewart stole second, he advanced to third and Núñez scored on an throwing error by the catcher for the 4-0 advantage.

Yacabonis got the start for Baltimore on three days' rest and gave the Orioles four scoreless innings to start the day. He needed just seven pitches in a 1-2-3 first and six more to retire the side in order in the second. He gave up just one hit in a 50-pitch outing that ends his year with an ERA of 5.40.

In this four-game series, O's starting pitchers worked to an ERA of 2.74, allowing seven runs in 23 innings. Yacabonis gave up just one earned run in 11 1/3 innings over his last three games. Fry retired all nine batters he faced today and Givens pitched the final two frames.

Now the offseason begins for the Orioles while their fan base awaits any possible changes and/or fallout from a 115-loss season. The Orioles open the 2019 season on March 28 at Yankee Stadium.