Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman homers, and Kremer strong in win

The Baltimore Orioles called on Dean Kremer to tame the Chicago White Sox lineup in the first of four games on the south side of Chicago. And similar to his other starts this year, Kremer delivered. He kept Chicago at bay, while Oriole bats did their thing. Kremer’s line: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

The O’s almost got on the board in the third, but umpires ruled Cedric Mullins out at home plate when he tried to score from first on Trey Mancini’s double. The Birds challenged the call, but it was upheld. My personal opinion was that he was tagged out before sweeping his hand over home plate. Now whether the catcher blocked the plate before the ball arrived…that might be a different story.

But one inning later the O’s were on the board and in the lead. Following a Ryan Mountcastle double, Adley Rutschman sent a two-run homer deep into the Chicago evening. And if you didn’t see it folks, it was A SHOT. But it set the table nicely for the Orioles.

And the Orioles also got some “revenge” for Mullins being thrown out at home plate earlier in the game. In the bottom of that fourth inning it appeared that Chicago walks going to cut the lead in half on Garcia’s single. However Sheets was thrown out at home plate when he dared to run on Austin Hays in right field. Hays gunned him down at home plate, and it wasn’t even close. I’ve said this before, but as close as some of these games can be, plays like that make a huge difference.

Rutschman would smack an RBI-double again in the sixth, and the Birds would add an insurance run on Mullins’ RBI-single in th le ninth. And while they did ultimately have to use closer Jorge Lopez for the final two outs, little things like that make a difference also. Insurance runs can be the difference between a tense or relaxed ninth inning. And again, little things like that do make a difference.

The series continues this evening at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field. Austin Voth gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Michael Kopech. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.