(Photo credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images)

Scoring early and often works well for the Houston Astros. Repeating that formula will be the goal in the second game of their series against the host Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.

The Astros snapped out of their offensive doldrums by recording all of their runs in the first three innings on Thursday in a series-opening 7-2 victory against the Orioles. There were home runs by Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz, and by game's end, Jesus Sanchez broke out of an 0-for-29 skid with a 5-for-5 night.

In the previous eight games, the Astros scored a total of 12 runs and were shut out four times. Even with the Thursday results, the American League West leaders have just three victories in their past nine games.

'We've got to recognize the things we are not doing very well right now in order for us to move forward, be better and be the team we know we can be,' said Houston third baseman Carlos Correa, who went 2-for-5 with a two-run single on Thursday.

Correa added that the key is to 'go out there with a positive mind and go out there to win.'

The starting pitcher for the Astros on Friday will be right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4, 6.90 ERA), who is set to return from the injured list. He has been sidelined for a month due to a finger blister.

His two victories this season came in road games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

McCullers owns a 3-0 record with a 2.90 ERA in seven games (five starts) vs. the Orioles. The only time he pitched against Baltimore over the past six seasons came in a no-decision in August 2022, when he tossed five scoreless innings.

Houston also could have an addition to the bullpen based on reports that reliever Craig Kimbrel will join the team in Baltimore. The right-hander pitched for the Orioles last year, going 7-5 with 23 saves and a 5.33 ERA in 57 outings.

Kimbrel, 37, pitched one scoreless inning for the Atlanta Braves in his lone major league appearance of the year on June 6. He subsequently joined the Texas Rangers' Triple-A Round Rock affiliate, where he went 0-1 with five saves and a 3.86 ERA in 24 appearances.

Left-hander Cade Povich (2-6, 4.98) will start for the Orioles. He went five-plus innings and gave up three runs on Saturday at Houston in a game Baltimore eventually lost in 12 innings. Povich matched his career-high mark with 10 strikeouts. He also had a no-decision at home vs. the Astros last August when he gave up five runs in five-plus innings.

Since rejoining the Orioles earlier this month after missing seven weeks with a hip injury, Povich is 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in three starts covering 16 2/3 innings.

Baltimore received a boost from Dylan Beavers in his first big-league home game on Thursday. The 23-year-old outfielder hit his first homer, a solo shot, and drove in another run on a fielder's choice.

'I kind of just want to show up and play good baseball,' Beavers said. 'But yeah, it was awesome being here and I heard the crowd going up for my first at-bat. So it was awesome. I'm super happy to be here.'

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Beavers has been rising in the organization.

'All these young kids that have come up, probably the least heralded up until maybe the last couple months,' Mansolino said.

The Orioles placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the injured list Thursday due to a strained right oblique, recalling outfielder Daniel Johnson to take the roster spot. Third baseman Jordan Westburg could miss a few more days with ailing ankle, but he did not go on the IL.

The Astros made a move as well, with outfielder Taylor Trammell going on the IL and infielder Brice Matthews recalled. Trammell is in the concussion protocol and has a sore neck after a collision with the outfield fence during an attempted catch on Wednesday.

--Field Level Media