Dean Kremer cemented himself into Baltimore Orioles history this evening by becoming the answer to a trivia question. That being, who got the win the night the O’s clinched the 2023 AL East pennant? Kremer’s line: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K.
Anthony Santander put the Orioles on the board with a solo homer in the last of the first. However as good as Kremer and Oriole pitching was, Boston’s was almost just as good. Boston threatened in the sixth, but DL Hall provided perhaps his signature moment to date as an Oriole, striking out one and retiring another runner to strand the would-be tying run at third.
But would the lead hold up? That was the question. Luckily the Birds tacked on an insurance run in the last of the eighth, with pinch hitter Heston Kjerstad blooping an RBI-single to center field. However Boston went quietly in the ninth, giving the O’s a 2-0 win in the series opener.
Oh wait…there’s more to it than just that! With the win, the 2023 Baltimore Orioles have clinched the AL East pennant. No more looking at Tampa in the rear view mirror, no more magic numbers, no more scoreboard watching. It’s over. The Orioles are the beasts of the east.
These Orioles also became the sixth team in franchise history to win 100 games. The last time was 1980. However more poignantly, a team that lost 110 two seasons ago is now the division champion. That’s remarkable if you think about it. This team has truly come full circle, and completed the cycle.
And maybe there’s a strange juxtaposition to all of this. Anthony Santander put the O’s ahead tonight with the aforementioned solo homer. Santander was taken by the Orioles in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft, which was during the Buck Showalter/Dan Duquette era. So perhaps a slightly shaded link to the past with all of this. But make no mistake, regardless of how it happened, who did it, and so forth, Brandon Hyde and the 2023 Baltimore Orioles are the AL East Champions.
In an unrelated but parallel story, it was announced during the game that Orioles’ managing partner John Angelo’s and Maryland Governor Wes Moore have reached a deal to keep the Orioles at Camden Yards for the next 30 years. Both the Governor and Mr. Angelos we’re in attendance at the game. So perhaps an added bonus for fans tonight.
The series with Boston continues tomorrow evening at Camden Yards. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Nick Pivetta. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 