The Baltimore Orioles hosted the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium on Monday in a split squad contest. 5,182 fans witnessed the Twins defeat the Orioles 7-2 while concurrently limiting them to 3 hits; Orioles batters did manage seven walks, however.
Starter Dean Kremer (1-1) left the game after facing two batters in the third inning. He was lifted for Trey McGough (1.0 IP) after surrendering a walk and allowing a single to open the inning. Kremer finished with a line of 2.0 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K and in the end took the loss.
Craig Kimbrel pitched the fourth inning and it was anything but pretty. The right-hander, a December 2023 free agent acquisition, allowed 4 runs on 5 hits (1 HR) and struck out 1 in 1.0 inning of work. Kimbrel has now allowed 5 runs and 2 homeruns in 2.0 innings of work.
Cionel Perez allowed 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 1 in 1.0 inning.
Keegan Akin pitched 2.0 clean innings, facing 6 batters, striking out 2.
The Orioles were limited to two hits through eight innings, a Gunnar Henderson (1 for 2) single to open the fourth inning and an Errol Robinson (1 for 1, 1 R, 1 BB) single in the sixth. Robinson had entered the game as a pinch runner for Henderson in the fourth.
Under the heading of too little-too late, the Birds “rallied” for two runs in the ninth, converting four walks, a single a force out and a ground out into 2 runs. Jud Fabian (0 for 0, 1 RBI) and Coby Mayo (0 for 1, 1 RBI, 1 BB) knocked in the runs.
Another down note for the game was the removal of Cedric Mullins (0 for 0, 1 BB) after advancing to second base on an Adley Rutschman (0 for 3) ground out in the first inning with right hamstring discomfort. You may recall that Mullins had two stints on the IL in 2023 with right groin issues. Manager Brandon Hyde said post game that the move was precautionary and did not require a MRI. Mullins got treatment and id considered day to day.