Orioles Kick Off Post-Break Games: Tonight’s Lineup and Fun Facts

What’s Happening Tonight?

The Baltimore Orioles are starting the part of their schedule after the mid-season break (a short pause in games) tonight. They are playing against the Houston Astros at a ballpark called Daikin Park in Houston.

Here’s how some of the Orioles are lined up:

• Coby Mayo is playing third base.
• Jackson Holliday is playing second base.
• Samuel Basallo is the designated hitter (a player who hits but doesn’t play in the field).
• The outfield has Colton Cowser in center and Dylan Beavers in right.

A Player with a Record-Long Name

Christian Encarnacion-Strand is sitting on the bench tonight. The Orioles brought him back to the team yesterday.

• His full name has 27 letters — the longest in Major League Baseball history!
• His last name alone has 18 letters, which beats the old Orioles record of 13 letters held by Asher Wojciechowski.

Important Point: Christian Encarnacion-Strand now holds the record for the longest full name in MLB history, and the longest last name in Orioles club history.

A Hot Streak at the Plate

Adley Rutschman (the Orioles’ catcher) has gone 30 turns batting in a row without striking out (that means he didn’t fail to hit the ball and get out that way). This started on July 4.

• That’s the second-longest active streak in all of baseball right now.
• The only player ahead of him is Miami’s Javier Sanoja, with 49.

A Score Change from Sunday’s Game

Something from Sunday’s game got updated:

• Kansas City’s Josh Rojas got on base in the second inning. At first, it was called a mistake (throwing error) by Blaze Alexander.
• Now, it’s changed to a hit (a successful bat).
• Because of this, the run Rojas scored counts as earned against pitcher Shane Baz.

Injury Update

Catcher Creed Willems is starting a rehab assignment with High-A Frederick. (That means he’s playing in the minor leagues to get back in shape after being hurt.)

Tonight’s Starting Lineups

Here are the players who are starting the game for both teams.

For the Orioles

1. Gunnar Henderson — Shortstop (SS)
2. Adley Rutschman — Catcher (C)
3. Taylor Ward — Left Field (LF)
4. Pete Alonso — First Base (1B)
5. Samuel Basallo — Designated Hitter (DH)
6. Dylan Beavers — Right Field (RF)
7. Colton Cowser — Center Field (CF)
8. Coby Mayo — Third Base (3B)
9. Jackson Holliday — Second Base (2B)

• Pitching: Dean Kremer (Right-Handed Pitcher)

For the Astros

1. Jeremy Peña — Shortstop (SS)
2. Yordan Alvarez — Designated Hitter (DH)
3. Isaac Paredes — Third Base (3B)
4. Christian Walker — First Base (1B)
5. Jose Altuve — Second Base (2B)
6. LaMonte Wade — Left Field (LF)
7. Cam Smith — Right Field (RF)
8. Lucas Spence — Center Field (CF)
9. Christian Vázquez — Catcher (C)

• Pitching: Peter Lambert (Right-Handed Pitcher)

Summary

Tonight, the Orioles begin their post-break games in Houston with a familiar-looking lineup featuring Coby Mayo at third and Jackson Holliday at second. Christian Encarnacion-Strand sits out but owns the longest name in MLB history. Adley Rutschman is on a 30-at-bat no-strikeout streak, a score from Sunday was changed to a hit, and Creed Willems begins rehab. Both teams’ starting players and pitchers are listed above.

FAQ

Q: What does “designated hitter” mean?
A: A designated hitter is a player who bats in place of the pitcher so the pitcher doesn’t have to hit. They only hit, they don’t play defense.

Q: Why is Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the bench?
A: The Orioles just recalled him yesterday (brought him back to the main team), and tonight he is not in the starting lineup — he’s waiting on the bench in case he’s needed.

Q: What is a rehab assignment?
A: It’s when a hurt player plays in the minor leagues for a bit to practice and get healthy before returning to the big league team.

Q: What does “earned run” mean?
A: An earned run is a run the other team scores that is counted against the pitcher as their fault (not because of a defensive mistake).