Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer and Jose Altuve drove in three runs as the visiting Houston Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Wednesday night.

Altuve finished 3-for-5 with three singles and two runs for the Astros, who have taken the first two games of the three-game series. Alex Bregman also recorded three hits, including a double, and had two RBIs.

Houston starter Cristian Javier (8-2) allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts to pick up his first win since June 3. Rafael Montero, Hector Nerris, Bryan Abreu and Kendall Graveman each followed with a scoreless inning of relief.

Austin Hays hit a two-run blast for Baltimore, which has dropped back-to-back games following a four-game winning streak. The Orioles went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Baltimore starter Jack Flaherty (8-7) lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits. He walked two and fanned eight in his second outing with the Orioles since being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline.

Houston wasted no time getting its offense going as Altuve led off the game with a single and, two outs later, Tucker clubbed his 21st homer of the season.

Adley Rutschman opened the home half of the first with a triple, but Javier struck out Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander before getting Ryan O'Hearn to fly out to end the threat.

Failing to get Rutschman home stung even more for the hosts when Altuve singled home Jose Abreu in the second.

Hays made up for Baltimore's earlier missed opportunity, though, ripping his 10th homer of the season to draw the Orioles within a run in the fourth.

The Astros broke the game open with a four-run eighth that included two-run singles from Altuve and Bregman. Baltimore loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning thanks to Santander's single and a pair of walks, but Bryan Abreu got Hays to fly out and Jordan Westburg to ground out to keep the Orioles at bay.

Jeremy Pena then gave Houston an insurance run in the ninth with an RBI single.

--Field Level Media