The Baltimore Orioles returned to Camden Yards on Thursday set to begin an eight game homestand. Winners of their previous three games and basking in the glow and good vibes that calling up top prospects Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers brought to the clubhouse, there was an air of positivity in Charm City. Certainly Boog’s Bar-B-Q, crab cakes and Natty Boh would be good for the team. Well, that has not been the case at all.
The homestand has been full of fireworks; in aggregate 13 homeruns have been hit and 43 runs have crossed the plate. Disappointingly, the Orioles have not been on the winning end of any game so far. The latest loss came on Saturday when the Houston Astros (72-58) outslugged the Orioles to win 9-8. It was Baltimore’s third loss in a row and it was witnessed by 30,159 fans who were there to celebrate HOF pitcher Jim Palmer on his replica ’70’s jersey night. Not only that, prior to the game a press conference was held to officially announce Basallo’s eight year $67 Mil extension.
A wild start
The game began with starter Dean Kremer issuing a lead-off walk to Jeremy Pena. Carlos Correa followed that with a two-run homerun to left field. A one out homerun to center field by Jesus Sanchez came next and was capped off by a one out, two-run homerun to right-center field by Victor Caratini. Eight batters in the first and Kremer found himself down 5-0.
The Orioles got three of those runs back in the bottom of the first with a pair of walks and a Gunnar Henderson RBI single. Henderson stole second base and scored on a Colton Cowser two RBI single with one out.
Colton drives in twooooo
pic.twitter.com/7VHlfAAYrA
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 23, 2025
Baltimore tied the game in the second inning on a two-RBI single by Ryan Mountcastle with the bases loaded and two out. A fielding error by Houston and a pair of walks were the catalysts for the runs.
Houston retook the lead in the third when Coby Mayo committed a throwing error on a groundout to third. Houston had runners on second and third and both scored when Mayo’s throw home got past Basallo.
Despite the first inning ambush, Kremer gave to Orioles a 5.0 inning effort, surrendering 7 runs, 6 earned, on 7 hits (3 HR) with a walk and 4 strikeouts. Having previously faced the Astros in Houston (8/17) Kremer reflected on his start this way, “That’s one of the scheduling challenges everyone has to face. Did earlier this year with the Twins, back-to-back starts. But this is the toughest league there is and it’s hard to sneak things by them after they’ve seen you three times in a day. It’s hard to surprise them again. They were more aggressive at balls in the zone, and I made a couple mistakes to some good hitters and they’re one of the hottest teams hitting right now.”
Solo homeruns by Jeremiah Jackson and Cowser in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, drew the teams even. Jackson’s homer to center field (449 ft.) was the first of his MLB career. He additionally knocked in the team’s eighth run with a RBI single in the eighth inning to finish the night 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI and a walk. Jackson is currently slashing .339/ .361/ .492, making a good case for sticking with the big club.
Do not pitch to Walker
The eventual winning margin came in the seventh inning when Christian Walker tagged reliever Dietrich Enns (1-2) for a two-run homerun to left. It was Walker’s third homerun in as many nights against the organization that drafted him in 2012. So far in the series Walker is 5 for 14 (.357) with 5 runs scored and 7 RBI. Enns took the loss when the Orioles eighth inning comeback came up short.
Cowser went 2 for 5 with a run scored and 3 RBI.
Beavers went 2 for 4 with a double, 2 runs scored and a stolen base.
Basallo went 1 for 5 with a double.
2025 Record: 59-70
Next Game: Sun. 8/24 @ 1:35 pm vs. Houston Astros