The Baltimore Orioles and Dean Kremer joined their NFL counterparts in beating a Texas team. Granted if you go back to Friday night the O’s had already done that, prior to the Ravens beating the Dallas Cowboys last night. But nevertheless, Kremer out dueled Houston by shutting them out, and throwing the most pitches he’s thrown all year. Kremer’s line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K.
This game was always going to be noteworthy once the Orioles opted to promote Samuel Basallo to the big leagues this afternoon. He was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat, and didn’t record a hit in the game. But he’s here, and he hit out of the DH role.
The Orioles loaded the bases in the third on three consecutive base hits. Gunnar Henderson then made a bid for a grand slam, but Houston right fielder Sanchez would rob him of that with an amazing leaping catch at the wall. However it went as a sac fly-RBI, giving the O’s a 1-0 lead.
Three straight fifth inning singles doubled the lead in the fifth, with Jackson Holliday’s RBI-single being the big one. Every Oriole who reached base in the inning would touch home plate, however. Jordan Westburg’s three-run homer broke the game wide open and gave the O’s a 5-0 lead.
Westburg would tack on an RBI-single in the seventh. Adley Rutschman would also add an RBI-groundout. Samuel Basallo also made a play for his first major league hit, and it would have been a home run. But Sanchez struck again in right field, making an incredible catch on the ball. In terms of winning and losing the game of course, it meant relatively little.
The O’s also exploded again in the eighth, in a sequence started by Jordan Westburg’s RBI-single. It also featured Samuel Basallo’s first major league hit. It was a two-RBI single, and it extended the Orioles’ lead to 12-0.
Kremer is reminding coaches and fans alike that he’ll have a big role on this team next year. He’s very quietly had a good season. That cemented itself this afternoon.
The O’s now head to Boston for the first of a two-game series at Fenway Park. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Dustin May. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 