BALTIMORE — Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. may have helped the Astros to a 10-7 win over the Orioles on Friday night in his return from the injured list. He could not, however, quiet concerns about his viability in the rotation for a team vying for another AL West title and a ninth consecutive postseason appearance.
McCullers allowed three runs over four innings at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in his 12th start of 2025, after missing all of 2023 and 2024 with multiple forearm surgeries, and — more recently — 30 games with a blister on his pitching hand.
He allowed five hits and five walks on 87 pitches and saw his season WHIP rise to 1.80. It was his most free passes issued since July 22, 2018 and a fourth start in his last five where he recorded at least as many walks as strikeouts.
Jeremy Peña hit a three-run home run and an RBI double for a suddenly resurgent Astros offense, a night after they broke out of a four-game slide — in which they only scored two runs — with a 7-2 victory in the series opener.
Christian Walker also connected with a three-run shot off Cade Povich (2-7), his 18th overall and second in as many games. And Victor Caratini contributed a pinch-hit, two-run double during a three-run eighth that gave a short-handed Astros bullpen some welcome insurance.
Shawn Dubin (3-0) allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings as the first of five Houston relievers. Bryan Abreu got the last four outs for his second save of the season.
