Soft contact undermines Orioles’ Kremer in ugly 15-8 loss to Giants

SAN FRANCISCO–What happened? Perhaps one of the best Oriole starters this season has been Dean Kremer. Kremer is probably best suited for being slotted later in the rotation, and he’s been fairly consistent.

On Friday night, Kremer allowed seven runs, equaling his season high, on nine hits as the Orioles lost to the San Francisco Giants, 15-8, before 40,043 at Oracle Park.

It was the Orioles’ fifth straight loss. They’re 60-75, 15 games below .500 for the first time since May 31^st.  The Giants (67-68) won their sixth straight. The 15 runs were a season high.

The Orioles allowed 10 or more runs for the 16^th time this season and their three errors, all in the seventh inning, equaled a season high.

Kremer allowed four runs in the first and two in the second. The Giants had seven hits, all singles. Kremer walked two in the first, and they scored as San Francisco took a 6-1 lead.

“He created a little bit of a problem for himself with the two walks,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “I think you walk the leadoff guy and then you walk [Rafael] Devers on the 3-2 count right there on a non-competitive pitch. It’s just gonna create holes in the infield because guys go into double-play depth, they’re not gonna cover as much ground because of what the position becomes.

“Now, I don’t think he deserved the fate that he got. There was a lot of soft contact that was just hit in the right spots tonight unfortunately. I thought the stuff was sharp and good. I didn’t think the stuff was bad, I didn’t think the location was all that bad. I just thought in a lot of ways it was a little bit unlucky.”

Ryan Mountcastle’s double scored Jackson Holliday in the first.

The Orioles scored three runs in the third on an RBI double by Mountcastle and Emmanuel Rivera’s two-run single, cutting the Giants lead to 6-4.

Drew Gilbert’s RBI double in third gave San Franciso a 7-4 lead.

Kremer allowed the seven runs on nine hits in three innings, his shortest start of the season.

“You know that’s a part of the game,” Kremer said. “Some days they find the fielders and some days they don’t. Today was not one of those days where they find the fielders and we got beat through the six hole quite a few times and the four hole a few times, and it kind of kept happening.”

Dominic Smith’s two-run home run against Corbin Martin put the Giants ahead, 9-4

Mountcastle’s two-run single in the fifth finished Robbie Ray and cut the lead to 9-6.

Mountcastle had four RBIs, a season-high, and he’s now 7-for-15 against Ray.

“It’s good to face somebody that you’ve faced a good amount in your career,” Mountcastle said. “Just facing a familiar face. I know what he’s got and how he’s trying to attack.”

Luis Matos’ home run in the fifth gave San Francisco a 10-6 lead.

Willy Adames’ fourth hit made it 11-6 in the seventh. Rafael Devers followed Adames and his RBI single scored two, and Smith’s single added the 14^th run. The Orioles committed three errors — by Holliday, Rivera and Beavers. None of the four runs scored against Grant Wolfram in the seventh was earned.

“I thought the position player group played great for six innings,” Mansolino said. “That seventh inning was ugly, without a doubt. We’ve seen our guys do that this year where games get out of hand and we don’t help ourselves in a lot of ways, and that happened right there.

“And other teams around the league do that, too. We’re not the only ones. But the position players go out and get Robbie Ray out where they got him out in the game and they put up that many runs against Robbie Ray, who’s been one of the better starters in the league here for the last few months. I was proud of that group. We just couldn’t hold them down. Every time we’d score they’d answer back and it was tough.”

Coby Mayo homered in the eighth to make it 14-7, and Gilbert’s RBI double in the eighth against Wolfram made it 15-7. Luis Vázquez’s forceout scored Alex Jackson to make it 15-8.

What does it mean? The Orioles hope that Trevor Rogers can give them a strong start on Saturday to break their losing streak

What’s the stat of the day? The 15 runs allowed were the most since May 23^rd when the Orioles lost to Boston, 19-5.

What’s the word? “Finish the year healthy, finish the year strong and kind of continue to stack innings and try and get under a 4 [ERA]. That’s ultimately my goal, and to continue to help any way I can.’-Kremer on his goals for the season’s last month.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Albert Suárez threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one as Triple-A Norfolk lost to Gwinnett, 1-0. The Tides had just three hits.

Infielder Vimael Machin accepted an outright assignment to Norfolk after passing through waivers.

In his Double-A debut, Luis De Léon gave up two unearned runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings as Chesapeake lost to Reading, 6-4.

Juan Rojas allowed seven runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings as High-A Aberdeen lost to Jersey Shore, 10-7

Braylin Tavera had four hits in Single-A Delmarva beat Carolina, 6-2. 

What’s next? Trevor Rogers (7-2, 1.40) will start for the Orioles on Saturday. The Giants have yet to name their pitcher. Game time is 7:15 p.m., and it will be shown exclusively on FOX.