BALTIMORE — Kyle Tucker gave the Houston Astros an early lead with four runs in the eighth inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Wednesday night.

Austin Hayes homered for Baltimore, which went 75 without a sweep in at least two games. After winning the first two of three games to make up the streak, Houston could end the streak this Thursday.

The Orioles, the American League East division leaders, moved two games ahead of Tampa Bay thanks to a win over the St. Louis Rays.

Houston moved within two games of AL West leader Texas.

Tucker hit a two-run homer off Jack Flaherty (8-7) to give Houston a 7-6 win on Tuesday with a ninth-inning grand slam. Jose Altuve added an RBI single in the second.

Christian Javier (8-2) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings.

For the Astros, Venezuelan Altuve went 5-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Cuba’s Yordon Alvarez went 5-0 and Jose Abreu went 4-1. Dominican Jeremy Pena went 4-1 with a run and an RBI. Honduran Mauricio Dubon scored a run to make it 3-1. Puerto Rican Martin Maldonado scored a run to make it 3-0.

For the Orioles, Venezuelan Anthony Santander is 3-1.