The Astros are back. The second half of the season is kicking off in Houston against the Baltimore Orioles. The Astros need to come back strong if they don’t want the season to slip away from them. They have the talent, but everything needs to be clicking for them to win.
The Astros are entering the second half of the season 47-51, and the Orioles are 46-51. This is absolutely a winnable series for Houston, but again, everything needs to be clicking. They have dropped series they should have had in the bag and won series that, based on the numbers, they should have lost.
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The second half of the season can’t look like the first half of the season, or the Astros are toast. With multiple players back from the IL and the talent they already have, they have the tools; they just need to use them properly.
Here is a look at what to expect for the first game of the series.
Peter Lambert will be taking the mound for Houston. With all of the pitching struggles the Astros have endured this season, Lambert has been one of their most consistent and reliable arms. Lambert enters the game 8-5, with a 3.14 ERA, and 81 SO, per MLB.
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A look at the opposition:
Dean Kremer will be taking the mound for Baltimore. He enters the game with 1-2, 4.09 ERA, and 24 SO, per MLB. Kremer has had significantly less time on the mound than Lambert this season due to a right quadriceps strain, causing him to miss significant time this season. He was reinstated July 1, and this will be his second major league start since returning from the IL.
Like the Astros, the Orioles have had a tough season, currently sitting below .500. The Astros aren’t doing much better, hovering around .500. Both teams have the talent but have been struggling with consistency all season. This series could really go either way.
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A strong performance on the mound from the Astros goes a long way in setting the tone. Even if they drop the series opener, the Astros have proven time and time again they can come back and still take the series. For the Astros’ sake, hopefully the All-Star break gave them the reset they needed and didn’t hurt their flow or chemistry.
