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Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown is turning heads this season, and he’ll aim to convert dominance into a win as he takes the mound on Wednesday in the decisive game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Coming off a career-high eight-inning masterpiece, Brown (6-2, 1.43 ERA) delivered an electric performance against the Texas Rangers, allowing only one earned run on three hits and recording nine strikeouts. Despite his excellence, the Astros fell 1-0—marking a rare instance where elite pitching wasn’t rewarded. Brown’s consistency and control make him a serious threat to a Rays squad that has struggled mightily at home, with a 12-18 record at George M. Steinbrenner Field, losing 13 of their last 16 before Tuesday’s comeback. Late-game pitching lapses

After snapping a four-game skid with a tight 1-0 win on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to string together consecutive victories for the first time in nearly a month. With the rubber match against the Cincinnati Reds set for Wednesday afternoon, the Pirates will turn to Andrew Heaney to help them secure the series win and, hopefully, some offensive momentum. Tuesday’s game played out like many others this season for the Pirates — minimal offense, maximum reliance on pitching. Bailey Falter delivered yet another strong start, keeping the Reds scoreless through seven innings before handing the game over to the bullpen. The lone run came off a Bryan Reynolds RBI single in the sixth inning, which was enough to

The Detroit Tigers are adapting on the fly. With right-hander Reese Olson landing on the 15-day injured list due to a finger injury, manager A.J. Hinch has made strategic changes to his pitching rotation. Originally scheduled to pitch against his former team, Jack Flaherty will now start Thursday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. Instead, the Tigers will employ a bullpen game on Wednesday to wrap up their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Manager A.J. Hinch acknowledged the challenges of using a bullpen-heavy approach just before a four-game set. Brant Hurter (1-0, 2.35 ERA), a promising left-hander, will open the game for Detroit. This marks his first career appearance against the Cardinals. Despite a limited

After two consecutive days of rain delays, the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins are itching to get back on the field. With two games on the schedule for Wednesday, both teams are hoping the weather finally gives them a break — and a chance to shift the focus from forecasts to fastballs. The first game on tap is a resumption of Monday’s suspended contest, set to pick up in the top of the fourth inning with Minnesota leading 2-1. The early damage came courtesy of RBIs from Ty France and Willi Castro for the Twins, while Cleveland’s Kyle Manzardo drove in a run before rain halted play. Joe Ryan (4-2, 2.42 ERA) will take over for Minnesota when the game