BALTIMORE — Last weekend in Houston, the Baltimore Orioles looked like the superior team.

What a difference a week can make.

The Orioles are on the verge of being swept by the Astros in a four-game series after Baltimore’s 9-8 loss Saturday at Camden Yards. After winning the series’ first two games Thursday and Friday, the Astros took a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed. Former Orioles prospect Christian Walker’s two-run homer in the seventh proved to be the difference.

The Astros bombarded Orioles starter Dean Kremer early and then did just enough late to stave off a comeback attempt from Baltimore’s bats. The Orioles fell to 59-70 with the loss.

Kremer entered with a 3.16 ERA since May 1, only one earned run allowed over his past 15 innings and a career 1.47 ERA in five starts versus the Astros. Last weekend, Kremer twirled seven shutout innings in the Orioles’ 12-0 victory in Houston — one of the club’s few impressive wins amid a deflating campaign.

But the Astros jumped on Kremer early and blasted the ball all over the yard — scoring five runs, smacking four hits and launching three homers before Kremer recorded the second out of the first inning. Carlos Correa, Jesús Sánchez and Victor Caratini all homered in the opening frame.

The Orioles’ lineup was up for the challenge, though, getting all five runs back in the first two innings off Astros righty Cristian Javier on RBI singles from Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser and Ryan Mountcastle. Cowser and Mountcastle’s hits both drove in two runs.

The Astros responded in the third on a first-and-third groundout from Caratini that somehow brought home two runs. Third baseman Vimael Machin didn’t look off Jose Altuve at third base, allowing him to score after Machin threw to first. Coby Mayo’s throw home was in the dirt and got past catcher Samuel Basallo, allowing Sánchez to score. Kremer ended up making it through five innings, surrendering nine hits and seven runs (six earned) for his first start since April.

Once again, the Orioles’ offense tied the game. In the fourth, Jeremiah Jackson, thrust into the No. 2 hole with Jordan Westburg on the injured list, hit his first career MLB home run, a solo shot to straightaway center field. Cowser then went deep for the second straight game to tie the score in the fifth.

It was Walker’s home run, though, that propelled the Astros to victory. His two-run shot off lefty Dietrich Enns in the seventh, his third homer in as many games, gave the Astros’ bullpen just enough breathing room.

Walker was drafted by the Orioles in the fourth round of the 2012 draft and made his MLB debut for Baltimore in 2014. He was designated for assignment in February 2017 and two years later became one of the better home run hitters in baseball. Walker, 34, smacked 141 long balls across six seasons in Arizona before hitting free agency this past winter and signing a three-year, $60 million contract with the Astros.

Jackson drove in another run on a single in the eighth, but Astros closer Bryan Abreu retired the side in order in the ninth.

Instant analysis

The fight from the Orioles’ lineup Saturday was the type it put up frequently in 2022, 2023 and the first half of 2024.

Where’d it go? And is it back for good?

The answer to the latter is much more important than the former. The injuries, bad luck, bad umpiring, underperformance, etc. that caused the Orioles’ awful start to the year is the reason the season is over, but it’s also far in the rearview mirror.

Even without Westburg and Adley Rutschman, the homegrown O’s appear to have recaptured some of what made previous iterations of the offense great. Dylan Beavers has been an on-base machine thus far, reaching in each of his first seven games of his MLB career. Cowser is breaking out of his August slump with extra-base hits in three of his past four games. Holliday is starting to be more patient in the leadoff spot. And Henderson is playing like Henderson.

In April or May, this loss might have been a laugher akin to the 24-2 Easter implosion or the 19-5 nightmare at Fenway. Now, it’s just a regular loss. Perhaps that’s progress.

What they’re saying

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said pregame that he wasn’t surprised to see a large number of Orioles players attend the news conference for Samuel Basallo’s contract extension. Mansolino said that other members of the young core have reacted positively to the news because “they’re good teammates.”

“They’re mature guys for young guys. I’d imagine there’s guys that want to stay here long term,” Mansolino said. “I don’t think there’s guys sitting in there that don’t want that. I think a lot of them want that. They want to be here because Baltimore’s a good place to be, and this team’s going to win.

“I know we had an ugly month and a half in April and half of May, but outside of that, it’s kind of been back to usual ways in a lot of ways in spite of the injuries and in spite of everything surrounding us. Guys want to stay, they want to be here. I just think that they’re good teammates. When you’re a good teammate, you might not be getting what you want in that moment, but you’re happy when your teammate gets it.”

On deck

The Orioles will hope to prevent being swept Sunday. They have good odds to do just that with Trevor Rogers (6-2, 1.41 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander will pitch opposite Astros righty Spencer Arrighetti.

Around the horn

— Mansolino said Kyle Bradish has a “good chance” to make his return to the major leagues Tuesday at Camden Yards against the Boston Red Sox. Bradish hasn’t pitched in a big league game since June 2024 before he underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.

— Tyler Wells is expected to rejoin the Orioles’ rotation after his final rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Norfolk, Mansolino said. Wells, who has a 2.37 ERA in 19 rehab innings, could have been an option for the bullpen, but he’s now built up to pitch into the sixth inning. Mansolino said the goal is for Wells to build up a solid innings base over the final month of the season heading into next year. Wells also had elbow surgery last June. “The biggest thing for me that I’ve kept true to myself this whole time was just come out of it healthy, come out of it in a competitive spot,” Wells said. “Everything’s been going well with that mentality.”

— Right-hander Cody Poteet began a rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Norfolk. Poteet has been out since April 21 with a shoulder injury.

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