(Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada insisted on immediately flushing a 13-run loss to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game series between postseason contenders.

Houston did precisely that in the form of a 4-1 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday. That win, combined with the Seattle Mariners' road losses to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday and Thursday, leaves the Astros with a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League West.

The Astros will conclude their six-game homestand with a three-game series against the Orioles starting Friday night.

With the Mariners hot on their heels and injuries continuing to ravage their roster, the Astros have maintained their focus on stringing together series victories. With the stretch run set to commence, there are few goals more pressing.

'That's three series in a row that we've won,' Espada said. 'I think that's very important.'

Framber Valdez (11-5, 2.97 ERA) will start the series opener for the Astros on Friday.

Following a 13-start stretch in which he went 10-0 with a 1.86 ERA and the Astros won each game, Houston has dropped three consecutive games with Valdez on the mound, and the left-hander has scuffled in back-to-back outings (0-1, 6.94 ERA). Valdez allowed a total of 10 runs (nine earned) in his past two starts. He surrendered a combined 11 runs (10 earned) in his previous eight starts.

Valdez is 1-1 with a 4.19 ERA over six career appearances (five starts) against the Orioles. He split a pair of decisions against the Orioles last season, posting a 2.84 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 12 2/3 innings. In his home start against Baltimore on June 23, 2024, Valdez allowed one run on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across seven innings in an 8-1 victory.

Rookie right-hander Brandon Young (0-6, 6.70 ERA) is in line to start for the Orioles.

After producing his first career quality start on July 29 against the Toronto Blue Jays by surrendering two runs over six innings, Young has allowed eight runs (six earned) and posted a 7.04 ERA over 7 2/3 innings stretched across two starts this month. Young worked a season-low three innings in an 11-3 loss to the Athletics on Saturday.

Young will make his first career appearance against the Astros. He is 0-3 with a 4.58 ERA in four road starts this season.

The Orioles claimed the decisive game of their three-game series against the Mariners on Thursday with a 5-3 win. Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano followed a strong effort from Trevor Rogers on Wednesday by allowing one run on three hits and one walk with two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

Rogers limited Seattle to one run on four hits and no walks with six strikeouts over seven innings to help snap the Mariners' eight-game winning streak.

'Our starting pitching has been great recently,' Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg said. 'I know the season hasn't gone exactly the way that we wanted it to, but I've been really proud and pleased with the way our starters have gone out there and competed. We haven't scored a ton of runs behind them, but hopefully that will change.

'These guys are bulldogs, and we appreciate it.'

--Field Level Media