Coming off a seven-inning gem in Pittsburgh, Dean Kremer couldn’t carry over his success into his next start Saturday as he allowed the most runs of his career in the Orioles’ 11-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Orioles held leads of 3-0, 4-1 and 5-4 in the early innings before the Brewers started to string together rallies against Kremer. The right-hander allowed eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits and a walk over four innings with three strikeouts, allowing double-digit hits for the first time in nearly a year. Errors by left fielder Austin Hays and second baseman Jorge Mateo didn’t help his stat line, but Kremer wasn’t sharp enough to keep the Orioles (8-6) in it.
“I think I didn’t command the glove-side [of the strike zone] as well as I have been the last two outings,” Kremer said after the game. “Everything was kind of leaking arm-side, and they put some good swings on it.”
After struggling to score against opposing starters all week, the Orioles managed to jump all over their former prospect, DL Hall. The left-hander, whom Baltimore traded to the Brewers in the Corbin Burnes deal, didn’t fare much better than Kremer in his first career start at Camden Yards.
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle got the Orioles on the board with a 111 mph rocket to left field for a solo home run in the first inning. Two batters later, third baseman Jordan Westburg hit a two-run shot to the opposite field for the Orioles’ quick 3-0 advantage.
“It was good,” Mountcastle said of facing Hall for the first time. “I was trying not to laugh or smile at the plate but he’s got good stuff and … he got me today too so hats off to him, he pitched pretty good after that first inning.”
The teams traded runs in the second. Brewers designated hitter Rhys Hoskins took Kremer deep in the top half of the frame before shortstop Gunnar Henderson got the run right back with an RBI single to score center fielder Colton Cowser, who singled and stole second base. The Brewers then put up three runs, two of them unearned, to tie the game in the third.
Baltimore got the homer hose flowing again on designated hitter Adley Rutschman’s first home run of the season. The Orioles’ regular starting catcher hasn’t gotten off to a great start, but his two-hit performance Saturday helped raise his batting average and OPS to .283 and .716, respectively. Hays also picked up a hit in the inning, ending a personal 0-for-26 skid at the plate.
However, the Brewers punched right back with the game’s decisive blow. After Milwaukee tied it again at 5 on a pair of one-out hits, first baseman Jake Bauers skied a fly ball to right-center. He appeared to throw his bat to the ground in disgust as the ball drifted to the wall, but it kept drifting amid windy conditions at Camden Yards and landed in the outfield seats for a three-run home run.
“It wasn’t as sharp as he was the last few starts,” manager Brandon Hyde said of Kremer’s outing. “That’s going to happen. He did give up some soft contact for some hits. It was a little bit unlucky. And then trying to get through that fourth inning, he just leaves a pitch right down the middle to Bauers there. And after playing an extra-inning game and a short start last night, we’re hoping he could get us a little deeper, but didn’t.”
The Orioles’ offense stalled from there. After chasing Hall from the game with one out in the fourth, they managed only four hits against the Brewers’ bullpen over the final 5 2/3 innings. Baltimore’s own relievers did keep the club in the game behind left-hander Keegan Akin and newly acquired right-hander Yohan Ramírez, but righty Mike Baumann entered for Ramírez and allowed two inherited runners and a third run to score.
Milwaukee’s win clinched the road team a series victory after its 11-1 win Friday night. It also put the Orioles’ American League-record streak of 95 straight regular-season series without being swept in jeopardy heading into Sunday’s finale. The Orioles will start their ace Burnes against his former team while right-hander Colin Rea takes the ball for the Brewers (10-3).
“Nice that we have Burnes going tomorrow,” Hyde said. “Hoping that we can get a really good start out of him. He’s been wonderful for us so far, so hopefully that can continue. After playing an extra-inning game and a couple games where we haven’t pitched our best, hopefully we get a big start out of him tomorrow.”
Brewers at Orioles
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
