The Baltimore Orioles fell 4-2 to the Houston Astros at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday in spring training play. Despite Weston Wilson's 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Orioles could not pull even when it mattered. Shane Baz worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits. The Orioles finished with 8 hits on the day while holding the Astros to 4. The Orioles will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Weston Wilson was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Orioles offense.
Vance Honeycutt also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI, Colton Cowser chipped in, going 2-for-3, and Ryan Mountcastle added to the attack, going 1-for-3. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Ethan Frey led the Astros offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Brice Matthews also contributed, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. James Nelson added a 1-for-1 with a triple effort as well. The Astros offense proved to be too much for the Orioles pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Shane Baz took the loss after grinding through his innings, working 3.0 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 49 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out ten. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Alimber Santa recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Ryan Helsley stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Astros got on the board first with three runs in the third inning. Astros plated a run in the seventh. The Orioles answered with two runs in the eighth. The Orioles out-hit Astros 8-4 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,122 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Orioles will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.