Yordan Alvarez and Cam Smith power the Astros past the Orioles 11-5 for a doubleheader split

BALTIMORE — Yordan Alvarez went 3 for 4 with his 12th homer and scored three runs as the Houston Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-5 to split a doubleheader Thursday.

Lance McCullers Jr. (2-2) pitched six innings, allowing three runs and two hits. He struck out nine and walked four.

Cam Smith launched an early three-run homer and Yainer Diaz got three hits for the Astros, who finished with 15 to salvage the finale of the three-game series. Leody Taveras had a two-run double, and Isaac Paredes went 5 for 10 in the doubleheader.

Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson each hit a grand slam in the opener to help the Orioles cruise to a 10-3 win. Chris Bassitt (2-2) tossed 6 2/3 innings for his longest outing this season and allowed one run on seven hits.

Houston outhit Baltimore 27-12 in the twinbill.

In the second game, the Astros sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and jumped on Baltimore starter Brandon Young for five runs, two on a single by Dustin Harris and three on Smith's homer.

Alvarez, whose 13-game hitting streak ended in the opener, made it 6-0 with a solo homer in the second.

Houston batted around again in the fourth, adding four runs with the aid of three hits, two walks, a sacrifice fly and an Orioles error.

Young (2-1) allowed 10 runs — seven earned — and 10 hits over four innings.

Peter Lambert (1-2) took the loss in the first game after giving up two runs and two hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz said before the opener that left-hander Trevor Rogers, placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday, has the flu.

Up next

Astros: RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.25 ERA) starts Friday when Houston opens a three-game series in Boston.

Orioles: Had not announced a scheduled starter for Friday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium.