ORIOLES vs. ASTROS： Official Full Game Highlights (July 18) ｜ 2026 MLB Season

Don't look down, the Orioles are red hot. They are rattled off five in a row on the heels of a sweep of the Kansas City Royals. A little bit stiffer competition coming here to the Lone Star State. They win last night, a one run victory. And they look at their lefty who's absolutely had it rolling over the last month with Trevor Rodgers on the bump today. It's Vince Arrighetti on the mound for the Astros. Right hander, 7 and 5. 4.5 OERA in 15 starts. 82 innings, 65 hits, 44 walks, and 81 strikeouts. Now he strikes out Rushman to start this one. First time in 35 trips to the plate that Adley has struck out. Arrighetti, the way he's been going, was not a likely guy to get him. That is nice to see. What a start to this game for Arrighetti. Back-to-back Ks, that one looking. Usually for Spencer Arrighetti, Robert, he gets most of his breaking ball for the strikeouts. But back-to-back fastballs for strikeouts here, something a little different going off the playbook. Swing and a miss. Good morning, good afternoon, and good night, Taylor Ward. Finished him off with a curveball, and Spencer Arrighetti strikes out the side in the first. An opportunity behind Trevor Rodgers for the Orioles to take the series in the first two. Yeah, and again, you look at the numbers and you go, well, he's 6 and 7. His ERA's elevated. That's because of two bad months. But has been red hot over an extended stretch now. As Jeremy Pena delivers a base hit into center field. Pena, who was on base all night last night, four times on base, scoring a couple of runs, leads off today with a single to center. Singles. Certainly good in front of Alvarez. He leads the American League in every triple crown category. The numbers are incredible. He's on base, runner on board, maybe a double play ball. Henderson right next to the bag for one, and an easy double play. The third hit of the first inning for the Astros, and they have runners at the corners with two out. And now it's Christian Walker's turn, hitting .234, .311 on base percentage, 20 homers, 58 RBIs for the right-handed hitting first baseman. Two outs, Astros threatening. And Walker goes down on strikes. So the Astros, who left 11 on last night and struggled in big spots, they continue it today in the bottom of the first. Three singles, two left. We're breaking Orioles news as we talk. The Orioles have just announced that right-hander Kyle Braddish has signed a five-year deal. Wow. To remain a Baltimore Oriole. And he's on the mound tomorrow, Josh. Yeah, and, I mean, with a batter wallet in his back pocket, that's for sure. Basayo takes high for a ball four. Well, it's his first walk in nine games. Well done to finally get a base runner. Colton Couser to batter, left-handed hitting center fielder. Basayo on it first, no score, top two. Swing and a miss. Got him on the curve ball down, and Couser strikes out the fourth for Arrighetti. He works around the one-out walk to Basayo. It wasn't a terrible first. There were three singles against him. One was a bloop. He got the big double play ball hit into by Jordan Alvarez, but he labored just a bit. And a one-two-three inning for Trevor Rodgers. We're two complete here in Houston. No score. Christian Encarnacion strand, 27 letters total. First A-B as an Oriole. Sir Anthony Dominguez, we're told, with 19 total letters. He is now the silver medalist in this weird competition. Three years with the Reds, and now he sends one in his first at-bat as an Oriole into center field. And there is Lucas Spence making his second play of the day. And there's one away in the inning. Back-to-back walks allowed. That's ball four in a second consecutive walk. Rutschman draws the walk. Two on with one out. Gunner Henderson to the plate. A little pop-up. Who wants it? Jeremy Pena and Isak Peraitis. Yeah, completely lost of knowing where the barrel of the bat is. I mean, it's a curve ball that stays up. What do they say? Got to be on time? Well, Gunner doesn't know what time it is. That's one we've seen Gunner put in the seats a lot in his career. 3-0 delivery on its way. A swing 3-0, and it's popped in a right. Jogging towards the line is Cameron Smith. Settles under it. One-hand catch. That is unlike Taylor Ward. Trying to drive it out. Instead, he pops it up. Lucas Spence's big league debut was last night. Payoff pitch on the way. Wave and a miss, and down goes the rookie. Lucas Spence out on strikes. And that's three. Punch-outs once through the order for Rodgers. These Astros had an eight-game losing streak in the middle of April, and they've really never recovered from that, especially with Carlos Correa out for the year. Peña's been on and off the I-L. Here's the 0-1. This one's fouled. Now a timeout's called. They want to take a look at Peña. As Joe Espada and the trainer out there to take a look at Jeremy, they notice something after that swing, and he's shaking his legs. Changeup out in front. Doesn't hit him. He kind of comes out of that stance awkwardly. We've seen Peña on the I-L twice already this year. So, you know, just kind of hold your breath whenever the training staff goes out to check on him. Went right after with another fastball. Exactly. Guys, you know, still limping around, thinking about how hurt or how much the pain is in your right shin, and then just buzzes him with a high-heater. The 1-2 pitch taken. That is a strike three called on the inside corner. Trevor Rodgers has struck out the side. And Jeremy Peña has had to leave the game. The Astros have a new shortstop in. Nick Allen taking over at short. We will try to get a report as soon as possible on Jeremy Peña's status. So, Arrighetti getting wild. Two-man reach here early in the fourth inning. Walking the hit by pitch. That will bring up another lefty, Dylan Beavers. That's ripped up the right field line. Going all the way to the corner. Alonzo hits the bag at third. He's coming down the line to score. It's a double for Dylan Beavers. The Ozora hit won nothing. Well, we've often heard Beavers swing compared to Kyle Tucker's who obviously became a star here in Houston. That looked like it. A little bit. He'll look for another strikeout here. Instead, he puts it in play. But Walker will keep the run from scoring. He'll tag out. Cows are running down the first baseline for the first out. Nobody can advance. A little pop-up. That will do the trick. Two pitches after the double by Beavers. And the Orioles have two outs. And runners still second and third. Perfect results for the Astros with runners on second and third. Nobody out. Now there's two outs with Holiday coming to the plate. Oh, he got him. Got him looking at a pitch at the bottom of the zone. Spencer works around second and third. Nobody out. Does give up a run. And the Baltimore Orioles lead 1-0. Christian Walker struck out his last time up. Struck out with men on first and third in the first inning. First pitch swing. 0-1. Kind of grabbed at that right side. Oh, boy. After that swing. Well, we've already seen Jeremy Pena leave this game after an awkward foul ball and an 0-1 count. And now on a first pitch check swing. And he is going to leave the game. My goodness. Man, oh, man. So, the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter, Jeremy Pena, leaves the game. And now the starting first baseman and generally the cleanup hitter, although today he's the five-hitter, Christian Walker, will leave the game. Gunner will bat 0-2 so far today. 0-6 in this series. And it has not looked good. I mean, at some point, one would think he has to get it rolling. Right? We said that in June when traditionally he goes off like fireworks. Gunner checks his swing. They appeal to third. And they said he went as the ball goes to the backstop. He never ran what would have been a drop third strike. And he may have made it because he thought he didn't swing. So, it's a strike three. And Henderson's tagged out by the catcher Diaz. And so it goes for Gunner in a season that's been out of gas. How ironic was it that he and Colton Couser, when they were, of all things, driving back from a hitting session here in Houston on the off day, car ran out of gas. Ended up pushing it. Trevor Rodgers right now is pitching a shutout. He's allowed three hits, three singles, and they were all in the bottom of the first. So, he is rolling right now. That's right down the chute. I'm mystified. I mean, it was a good pitch inside middle. Just takes it. Six strikeouts for Trevor Rodgers. 1-0. And that's hit sharply and into center field. A base hit for Spence. Down to second goes Desenzo. And the Astros have something cooking with first and second. And one out on a sharply hit ball by Spence. One and two to Allen. Here's the pitch. Swing and a miss. He struck him out. Strikeout number seven for Trevor Rodgers. And now it's first and second. There are two down. But here comes the likely MVP in the American League, Jordan Alvarez. And with just the mention of his name. An applause here in Houston. The 2-1 broken back. Ground ball. Back of the bag at second. Henderson fields it. He touches second. And he gets the out. Trevor Rodgers pitches out of another jam. And he has tossed five scoreless. But he gets Alvarez out in a huge spot in this game. A.J. Blubaugh into this game in relief of Spencer Arreguetti who went five innings. 2-2 to Couser. Curve ball. Bounced high off the mound. Fielded by Allen on the backhand. Takes the second for one. And he throws the first. That's two. Just what the doctor ordered. And we're through five and a half. Orioles one. Astros nothing. Trevor Rodgers who's rolling this afternoon. Really good fastball command. And it might be the sink that he's got with the guy behind him. On the back half of the battery. And Senwell Basile. Well, that certainly helps. And, of course, Hadley Rutschman and then Sam Huff have done the catching this year. Needs to get one more out here in the sixth. And he got it. Trevor Rodgers is dealing yet again. He's got eight strikeouts today against just the one walk. A shutout at the end of six. Recently you expect more of this from Trevor Rodgers. Pitching deep into a ballgame. Minimizing any offense of attack. There's the one-two. And it's hit the other way. And that's a base hit for Desenzo. His second knock. Hits this ball into right field. He has a multi-hit game. Desenzo's going to go first to third. The throw-by. It's the tying run over to third for Houston. 99 pitches is where we're at right now for Rodgers. Can he talk his way into staying in this game? Rodgers is coming out. It was a conversation, but he's coming out. Enrico Garcia, 2.6 ERA, getting into his 45th game already. Baltimore goes to the bullpen in a 1-0 ballgame. Nick Allen will be at the plate with runners on the corners for the Astros. One is back on towards the right side. Garcia thought of it. Nick Allen gets it done. The squeeze, you could just smell coming. Go ahead, run, stands at second. Ready to go on the move. There the runners go. The pitch. Bounce towards Encarnacion Strand. He's got it. Over to first in time to retire the side. Diaz is 0 for 3. A ground out, fly out, and strikeout. 1-1 ballgame, bottom of the eighth. The 1-1. Ground ball right side. A diving, skidding stop by Alonzo from his knees to Cano, who just gets the right foot on the bag to get the out. Nicely done on both ends by Alonzo and Cano. And Cano has a 1-2, 3-8. Former Orioles farmhand Josh Hader now on the pitch for the Astros. And the side is retired. Josh Hader strikes out the side in the ninth. They go to the bottom of the ninth inning at Dykin Park. Astros 1, Orioles 1. And the Orioles, Josh, go with Tyler Wells, who had a white-knuckle save last night, and he emptied it out. 29 pitches less than 24 hours ago. Crack towards shortstop, and a catch made off the shoestrings by Henderson. A rocket to shortstop, and Henderson makes the play. Out number one. And he popped it up. Will it stay playable? Encarnacion strand with Ward next to the line. Ward into the front row. And does he make the play? He got it! He hung with the play right at the wall to retire the side of the ninth. A tremendous play by Taylor Ward. He gave up his body for that one. And the Orioles have runners at the corners with nobody out. So now, Jeremiah Jackson will be asked to come up. A bunt by Jeremiah Jackson's going to cash in the run. Wade with the tag on J.J. to get the out. Orioles on top, 2-1. They lost the lead with a squeeze. They regain it with a squeeze. One and two to count to Henderson. Wines and fires. Swing, and a miss at the slider. Henderson's struggles continue. Now the question is, are they going to pitch to Jordan Alvarez and load him up? Infield in for the Orioles. They're going to pitch to Jordan. Tying run at third and Spence. Allen, the winning run at first. Smash down the right field side. Bare ball! Torn in two. Now Eastside Paredes, one for four today. Chops one. Towards the drawn in infield. Drawn by Henderson. The throw's high. Safe at first base. Alonzo fielded that in foul territory. That high throw had the jump for it. And now the Astros have loaded him up. The right-handed hitting Altuve. I think they're going to bring in an extra infielder. Yep. You'll have O'Neal in right. You'll have Ward in left. But the O's will go with a five-man infield. Trying to cut down a run at the plate. In the air. Towards O'Neal. Underneath. It makes the play. Coming down the line. The throw is in! A double play! And Basayo dancing across home plate. Wheeled around. Made the tag. Well, that was pretty timely. So now two down in the inning. But it's on. Alvarez down the line. Kitcher to the throw to first. In time to get the out. Unbelievable! It took a miracle. And the Orioles got it. Somehow the Orioles have MacGyvered their way out of trouble. Here's Samuel Basayo. He's walked, been hit by a pitch, and struck out twice in four trips. Swing and a miss. Struck him out on a change-up away. So De Los Santos back-to-back strikeouts after the wall. A lot of frustration after that. Basayo snapped his bat over his knee. That bat had no chance. That was pretty impressive, yeah. First and second. But now two down. O'Neal batting right on right. They go. The 3-2 pitch. Weak ground ball to the right side. Long travel for Altuve. Throw to first. He's safe. Runner coming home. He scores! So a 3-2 Orioles lead on a slow, slow roller that would not break a speed limit on any American highway. Altuve had so far to go to get to that. Just a one-run lead. And remember, the Astros start with an automatic runner. And the pitch. Taveras cracks it into right field. And that is going to be a base hit. And another run will score. And the big second run here in the 11th for the Orioles. It's a 4-2 lead for Baltimore. And now the O's are within one out of a very unlikely win. They are one out away from stealing another one in Houston. And a 0-2. Right there. Strike three to finish the ball game. Well, I mean, is he going to run? That will finish it officially. And in the most unfathomable win of the season, the Orioles come through and they cap it off with a 4-2 win to take the series over the Astros.