Dean Kremer had some halfway decent innings for the Baltimore Orioles in Toronto this evening. Just not enough decent innings. It’s been a tough season for the Orioles’ starter, yet here he is. Kremer’s line: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 6 K.
Kremer was pitching against a team in Toronto this evening who doesn’t strike out too much. Yet, he still notched six strikeouts. However in doing so, he got a lot of the plate with his pitches. And he paid for that.
Guerrero’s RBI-double in the first inning following two runners being put on. Guerrero victimized the Orioles tonight, and given the fact that this was the last meeting between the teams, the Orioles don’t need to worry about running into him again.
However that also left runners at second and third, and when Kremer was called for a balk Toronto led 2-0. Kirk’s RBI-single extended the lead to 3-0. For the record, that was Kremer’s first balk in his career.
The Orioles did try to battle back. Colton Cowser’s two-run homer in the third got them back to within one. However Toronto would pad their lead in the later innings, much of that on the bat once again of Guerrero. They ran it all the way to 7-2, and the game appeared to be over…
…but it wasn’t. The O’s loaded the bases in the ninth, and Jackson Holliday grounded into a fielder’s choice-RBI. That was followed by an RBI-double by Cedric Mullins, bringing Colton Cowser back to the plate.
And Cowser’s “excuse me swing” two-RBI single cut the Toronto lead to 7-6. The O’s had the go-ahead run at the plate with two outs in the ninth. However Anthony Santander flied out to center, ending the game in a 7-6 loss.
The Orioles have also run into the buzzsaw of good pitching. Toronto starter Gausman (former Oriole) pitched eight innings. He gave up just that Colton Cowser home run, and struck out only two. Eight innings pitched and he struck out TWO HITTERS. That’s a statistical anomaly, but it’s also indicative of what the Orioles were up against tonight.
However make no mistake, we saw the Orioles come to life in the end. And maybe at this stage of the season, that’s what it’s all about – coming alive at the right time. Coming alive when needed to keep pace in the standings. And on that note by virtue of New York losing to Anaheim, the O’s remain in a first place tie.
The O’s now go to Tampa to open a series at Tropicana Field tomorrow night. Zach Eflin gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Zach Litell. Game time is set for just before 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 