If the Baltimore Orioles’ rotation stays on schedule, Dean Kremer made his final start of the year last night against Tampa at Camden Yards. Perhaps fittingly, it was a start that was delayed an hour and eleven minutes by rain before it even started. But needless to say, Kremer finished strong once he took to the mound. Kremer’s line: 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K.
When Kremer left the game he did so to a standing ovation from the fans. He’s a guy who’s chiefly important to this rotation next year. And while he did have his struggles at times this year, he quietly had a very strong season.
He had the lead early, as the O’s manufactured two runs in the first inning. Gunnar Henderson’s sac fly-RBI and Tyler O’Neill’s RBI-groundout gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Henderson came up again in the third and added on an RBI-single to extend it to 3-0.
Kremer, for his part, was crisp all night. He also pitched-to-contact, which is all but the opposite of what Oriole pitchers did over the weekend against New York. And the results speak for themselves. In both instances.
Jordan Westburg would tack on a sac fly-RBI in the fifth to extend the lead further. And Colton Cowser put the exclamation point on in the sixth with a two-run home run. The Oriole bullpen was virtually as strong as Kremer, and the Birds went home 6-0 winners in the first game with Tampa, the last home series of the year.
The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Tyler Wells gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Shane Baz. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 