BALTIMORE–What happened? Dean Kremer started for the first time in nearly 2 ½ months, and he threw a masterful six innings. Not only did Kremer pitch well, but the Orioles had a productive fifth inning, when they scored four runs in a 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox before 19,045 at Camden Yards on a sweltering Wednesday.
The win broke a four-game losing streak for the Orioles (40-48).
Gametime temperature was 91 degrees, but Kremer, who was on the 60-day injured list with a strained right quadriceps muscle, thrived in the heat allowing just four hits, striking out four and walking one.
“Physically, feel good, good enough to be here,” Kremer said. “And it was pretty hot today but, other than that, feel good. Stuff is okay. I had two months off, wasn’t the best. But kept my arm in shape, kept my feel and so getting back was easier than if I had to shut down throwing. A lot of positives today.”
Kremer was helped out by Tyler O’Neill, who hit his third home run, his first since May 16th, and made a spectacular diving catch in the fourth to save two runs.
Sam Antonacci, an excellent rookie leftfielder, hit Kremer’s second pitch for a 1-0 lead. Kremer (1-1) retired 11 straight until Braden Montgomery doubled with two outs in the fourth. Jacob Gonzalez walked, and Chase Meidroth hit a slicing line drive to right that O’Neill snared with his diving catch to the end the inning.
“I like playing defense,” O’Neill said. “I like being out there trying to make the plays for the boys. Got a good jump on that one today. Timing worked out perfect that I could dive for it. Just a big situation, so happy to keep those runs off the board.”
O’Neill led off the fifth with a home run against Noah Schultz (2-5). Schultz had been on the 15-day injured list with tendinitis in his right knee and hadn’t pitched since May 24th.
Schultz didn’t allow a hit for the first four innings. After O’Neill’s home run, Leody Taveras struck out, Jackson Holliday walked. Blaze Alexander and Gunnar Henderson singled to load the bases. Adley Rutschman singled to score Taveras, and Taylor Ward, batting third for the first time this season, drove in Henderson with a sacrifice fly.
The Orioles made it 5-1 on Alexander’s RBI triple in the sixth that scored Taveras.
Taveras’ third home run, his first since April 20th, gave the Orioles a 6-1 lead in the eighth. It was their third home run. Their last three-home run game was on June 6th at Toronto.
Tyler Wells pitched two spotless innings and Ryan Helsley was preparing to come in for the ninth and stopped warming up. Andrew Kittredge pitched the ninth instead.
Helsley, who was on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, stopped warming up and was examined after the game.
“My level of concern with something like that is always high,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “It’s almost like you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Hopefully, everything comes out and he’s fine, but you’re always concerned when bullpen calls out and says, ‘Hey, he can’t go.’ But we’ll kind of see where this leads and more information. Hopefully, it was kind of just precautionary.”
Left-hander Keegan Akin, who’s on the 15-day injured list with left elbow discomfort, had an MRI on the elbow.
“He’s going through the options right now of what the next steps are,” Albernaz said. “We should have those, whatever he decides and the plan of attack, in the next couple days.”
How important is Kremer? Kremer didn’t feel any limitations because of his injury.
“Fortunately, the quad didn’t really affect my throw, my actual throw mechanics or anything,” Kremer said. “Anything laterally didn’t really bother [me]. It was anything linear, so like running was really the thing that hurt. But fortunately got to keep my feel, and I guess worked on things I wanted to work on because, a little bit less mound stuff, so I have to keep the throwing volume pretty high in catch and get to kind of mess around there.”
Kremer looked as if he hadn’t missed any time.
“I don’t know if anything improved,” he said. “It’s more of like consistent feel has gotten better, as opposed to other years where either we miss time or when we come out of the gate slow. But I was really happy with how I started the season in terms of feel and being able to maintain after the hiatus is positive.”
What about the injuries to Helsley and Akin? They’re very concerning. If Helsley is out for another extended period, the Orioles could be forced to trade for an experienced closer. They made do with Rico Garcia and Anthony Nunez when he was out from April 29th to June 17th.
Garcia’s ERA has risen sharply, and Nunez is back in the minor leagues, though he could be getting a call if Helsley is placed on the injured list.
Without Akin, they have only one left-hander, Grant Wolfram, and they could use another.
What does it mean? Kremer’s return was promising, but the news about Helsley and Akin is worrisome.
What’s the stat of the day? 0-for-19. Ward broke an 0-for-19 streak with a single in the seventh.
What’s the word? “Down in the tunnel, we have a couple of fans, so that’s pretty nice. Ice towels, drenching my head in water, the normal thing an 8-year-old kid would do on a soccer field, but it was a toasty thing.”–Kremer on trying to keep cool.
What’s next? After an offday on Thursday, the Orioles will open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark. Trevor Rogers (5-7, 4.99) will start against Brady Singer (3-7, 5.12) at 7:10 on Friday night.
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