Kremer dominant in Orioles’ 5-1 win over Rays

BALTIMORE–What happened? After two days of extraordinary offense, normality returned to Oriole Park on Sunday. On Friday, the Orioles spotted the Tampa Bay Rays a 6-0 lead before outscoring them, 22-2, for a 22-8 win. In Saturday’s game, the Orioles lost, 11-3, in a game where infielder Luis Vázquez pitched two scoreless innings.

Dean Kremer threw seven brilliant innings, allowing just three hits and a walk, to lead the Orioles to a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays before 19,226 on Sunday.

Kremer (7-7) allowed singles to Josh Lowe and Yandy Diaz in the first, and Jake Mangum in the fourth. He walked Brandon Lowe in the sixth and struck out six.

“When our starters throw the ball good, we hit better, we play better defense, we win games,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “As our starters go, we kind of go.”

The Orioles (36-47) took two of three from the Rays (47-37) and split their six-game homestand with Texas and Tampa Bay.

Brandon Lowe homered against Félix Bautista in the ninth to prevent the Orioles’ fourth shutout. With Keegan Akin pitching in the eighth, leftfielder Colton Cowser appeared to secure a shutout with a leaping catch on Danny Jansen’s long fly to left.

The Orioles scored a run off Taj Bradley in the second on a double by Ramón Laureano and a single by Cowser.

The Orioles are 15-11 in June, but haven’t gained much ground in the standings.

“It’s extremely important right now, for sure, especially midseason,” Laureano said. “And we need to continue to win ballgames.”

Bradley, against whom the Orioles scored seven runs, six earned, on June 18^th in a 12-8 loss, allowed two runs in the fifth when Gary Sánchez, Cedric Mullins and Coby Mayo began the inning with singles. Mayo’s single scored Sánchez and Ramón Urías’ scored Mullins.

Sánchez’s RBI single and Mullins’ sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Orioles a 5-0 lead.

Kremer in the daytime: Mansolino referred to Kremer as “Day Game Deano,” even though his season stats indicate that he’s only slightly better during the day (4.13 ERA) than at night (4.43).

“I don’t know where he’s lined up here in these next couple series,” Mansolino said. “I hope it is on a day game. I don’t know why. The only reason why I say that is our pitching coaches joke about it, so I kind of hear the information about it. I’m not sitting up there looking up Deano’s daytime splits.

“I have no idea. I’ve got way other things to worry about. But they said it, and as I’ve watched it here the last couple times, I’m like, man, there’s something to it. Who knows? He threw the ball great today and it’s exactly what we needed.”

Kremer thinks there’s something to day games, too.

“There’s significantly less sitting around all day, stewing on whatever, waiting to start my routine,” Kremer said. “I think that helps me, anxiety and stuff of that nature. It helps me not … get it over with, but kind of get it over with.”

What’s the latest on Westburg? Jordan Westburg didn’t play for the second straight game after leaving Friday night’s game when he reinjured his left index finger.

He took batting practice before the game, and Mansolino was noncommittal about him playing on Monday in Texas.

“We’ll punt until tomorrow on that,” Mansolino said. “I’ll give you a better idea tomorrow. So, he swung the bat OK. Doesn’t feel the best. So, we’ll see where it goes tomorrow, very day-to-day, and I think this is kind of the normal day-to-day thing.

“Some days it feels good, some days it doesn’t. So, I think we’re going to get past 48 hours tomorrow. Usually after the 48-hour mark, you’ll see some gains. We’ll kind of see where it goes.”

What does it mean? Kremer has pitched well in his last three starts, and with Zach Eflin likely heading to the injured list and Tomoyuki Sugano lagging recently, strong performances from him are necessary.

What’s the stat of the day? Kremer is much better at home (2.37 ERA) than on the road (5.49).

What’s the word? “I’m just glad he didn’t hurt himself again. So, I told him, ‘I’m proud of you for not going on the IL for the next three days here.”-Mansolino on Cowser’s catch

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Catcher Samuel Basallo hit his 16^th home run and first baseman Vimael Machin homered twice as Triple-A Norfolk lost to Gwinnett, 6-4.

Tyler O’Neill hit a two-run home run in Double-A Chesapeake’s 6-4 loss to Altoona.

Eccel Correa allowed an unearned run on four hits in five innings in High-A Aberdeen’s 5-4 loss to Hub City.

Carolina beat Single-A Delmarva, 4-2

What’s next? The Orioles open a three-game series with the Texas Ranger in Arlington, Texas on Monday at 8:05 p.m. Trevor Rogers (1-0, 1.62) will face Patrick Corbin (4-7, 4.24).

Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com