Dean Kremer came within an out of a quality start last night in Kansas City. However he didn’t get get run support until after he left the game, and Kansas City ended up piling on anyways. Kansas City, who’s young and underrated, that is. Kremer’s line: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K.
The Birds appeared to be getting things churning early. Gunnar Henderson was hit by a pitch and Adley Rutschman followed with a base hit to start the game. They both moved into scoring position on a groundout. However Henderson was picked off third, and Anthony Santander flew out to end the inning.
My personal opinion is that Henderson was safe on the pickoff play. It looked to me like his hand got back into the bag before the tag. But the call was upheld on instant replay. However the bigger issue is getting picked off at all. You can’t let that happen that early in the game. All things being the same, it’s only one run. But if Santander’s fly out is a sac fly instead, you don’t know how the rest of the game unfolds.
Kremer dealt well, that is until the fourth when Pasquantino smacked a solo homer. He also gave up an RBI-single to Melendez in the fourth, and he was responsible for one of the runners on Massey’s two-RBI single in the sixth. Remfroe would add a two-RBI single of his own later in the inning, and the O’s trailed 6-0.
Kansas City took advantage of their opportunities in this game. At least early on, the Orioles didn’t. They posted a big inning, whereas the Orioles worked their way out of one early. Attention to detail wins you ballgames. In fact, it wins you anything in life.
But the O’s didn’t just take the “L.” Adley Rutschman smacked a grand slam in the seventh that put the Orioles right back into the game. But it didn’t last long. Melendez’s three-run homer in the last of that inning gave Kansas City a 9-4 lead, and they coasted to victory on this night.
I go back to the Henderson pickoff. You can’t know when it happens that you’re seeing one of the big inflection points of the ballgame. But you have to treat everything as such. Again, all things being the same that’s only one run. But that’s always a tough sell to make – “all things being the same.” Because all things wouldn’t have been the same. The Orioles would have had the lead.
The series continues this evening at Kauffman Stadium. Corbin Burnes gets the star for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Cole Ragans. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 