Spencer Arrighetti outshined Corbin Burnes, while Ben Gamel drove in two runs in his Houston debut, helping the Astros extend their AL West lead to a season-high 5.5 games with a 6-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Arrighetti (6-11) dominated, allowing just three hits over six innings, striking out six, and walking one. Burnes (12-6) struggled again, giving up five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, following a tough outing where he allowed a career-high eight runs against Boston.
Houston’s win marks their ninth straight on the road, their longest streak since 2018. Gamel, recently acquired off waivers from the Mets, delivered RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings, the only times the Astros scored. Houston has surged to a 62-39 record after a slow start, now holding a strong lead over second-place Seattle in the AL West. Just two months ago, they trailed by 10 games after a loss to the White Sox. Meanwhile, the Orioles fell 1.5 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees.
Burnes allowed eight singles, with costly hits in two innings. Yordan Alvarez and Gamel’s RBI singles in the fourth, followed by another Gamel RBI in the sixth, proved decisive. It was Gamel’s first multihit game since September 2022 with Pittsburgh.
“His bat-to-ball skills have always been there,” said Astros manager Joe Espada. “He’s had success against their starter.”
Jake Meyers added a bunt single, and an error by Burnes left runners in scoring position, leading to Shay Whitcomb’s two-run single that ended Burnes’ night.