TAMPA–What happened? The Orioles, who were outscored 28-2 in their previous three games, appeared to end their scoring drought after scoring two quick runs in the top of the first.
Instead, they were shut out until the ninth, and after holding a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, gave up three runs and suffered their fourth straight loss, 4-3 to the Tampa Bay Rays before 10,046 at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday night.
Oriole starter Dean Kremer limited Tampa Bay (52-47) to two hits in six innings. The Rays scored against him in the seventh. Yandy Diaz walked, advanced to third on Junior Caminero’s double, and scored on Josh Lowe’s double.
Kremer equaled a season high, throwing seven innings for the sixth time this season, allowing one run on three hits.
Tampa Bay tied the score, 2-2, in the bottom of the eighth when Ha-Seong Kim singled against Seranthony Domínguez (2-3), stole second, went to third on Matt Thais’ fly to right and scored on Chandler Simpson’s single.
Simpson stole second and moved to third when Domínguez’s fourth ball to Caballero got away from catcher Jacob Stallings. Diaz walked to load the bases.
Jonathan Aranda grounded to first against Gregory Soto. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn’s throw home was wild, allowing both Simpson and Caballero to score.
“In that scenario there with the speed of Chandler Simpson at third base, you’ve got to get rid of that ball quick,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “I thought O did a good job. He got rid of it.
“He just didn’t make the throw that we wanted. I haven’t seen the replay of it yet, so I don’t know the circumstances surrounding it. It was nice going to his right. You’re not going to turn a double play there, especially with the left-handed pitcher on the mound. As I looked up on the scoreboard, and I saw Soto turn and go right away.
“Just kind of looking at that scenario, if he does go to second base, the odds of turning that thing from first base is going to be really tough. I thought it was 100 percent the right decision going to the plate, just didn’t get the play done.”
In the top of the first, Jackson Holliday singled against Tampa Bay starter Zack Littell. Jordan Westburg doubled, and Holliday scored on Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly to left. Westburg scored on O’Hearn’s single.
“When you’re not scoring runs the way you want it rarely is really easy to get out of it,” Mansolino said. “I usually think there’s a game where you go to kind of fight for a few runs then off it goes and it felt like that was going to be one of those tonight.”
The Orioles were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Edwin Uceta (6-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Pete Fairbanks pitched the ninth for his 16th save, though it wasn’t easy.
Tyler O’Neill doubled with one out and scored on Cedric Mullins’ two-out pinch-hit single. Mullins stole second and Holliday flied to deep center to end it.
“I thought it had a chance,” Holliday said. “It’s pretty big out there to center, so I didn’t really know. I knew I hit it well. I guess I just hit it a little bit too high. But I’ve seen some balls go out that have been hit a lot less hard than that here. So I thought I had a chance, but it just didn’t go far enough.”
How did Kremer throw? Kremer got a no-decision. In his last six games, Kremer has three wins and three no-decisions. It was the first Oriole loss in a Kremer start against the Rays since May 20th, 2021.
“Just trying to be unpredictable and kind of thinking through every at-bat,” Kremer said. “Thinking through the plan that we kind of put together and trying to execute that as best as we can and really using our eyes in-game and making any adjustments if need be.”
Kremer’s ERA continues to drop, and it’s currently 4.06.
“He’s just getting ahead early and then going to work,” Holliday said. “When you’re ahead early in counts in the big leagues, it’s really tough as a hitter because guys got really good stuff and you’ve got three pitches to work with, you tend to get a lot of outs. He’s doing a good job throwing strikes and getting to his secondary stuff, and he’s one of the best in the game when he does that.”
What happened to the Orioles’ offense? The Orioles have scored just five runs in their last four games.
“I thought we took good at-bats,” Holliday said. “That guy’s kind of had our number throughout the year, and I thought that stuff was heading our direction throughout the game and then he kind of shut us down and they’ve got a really good bullpen. We looked really good in the first half of the game and just try to build off that.”
Are the Orioles worried about the trade deadline? For the next 11 days, the Orioles and 29 other major league teams are focused on the July 31st trade deadline.
“Obviously, we want everyone in this clubhouse to stay in this clubhouse,” Holliday said. “We’ve got to start winning games like that tonight and just stack day after day and see what happens. We need to start winning more, and obviously, we don’t want anyone in this room to get traded because I love every guy in this room. But, yeah, we’ve got to start winning.”
What does it mean? There will be increasing attention on the trade deadline each day, and that will be the story this month, not the individual games.
What’s the stat of the day? Ramón Urías’ fifth-inning double snapped an 0-for-22 streak. He doubled again in the seventh.
What’s the word? “The swing by Jackson at the end of the game almost kind of was that type of a story right there for us. Unfortunately about a foot short. -“Mansolino on Holliday’s long fly ball to end the game.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Cade Povich allowed one run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk. He threw 62 pitches, struck out six and walked one in the Tides’ 6-4 win over Syracuse.
Dylan Carlson’s two-run, ninth-inning home run won the game for Norfolk. Jeremiah Jackson’s home run in the eighth tied it.
Syracuse defeated Norfolk, 16-7, in the completion of a game suspended in the seventh inning on Friday night.
Centerfielder Reed Trimble and first baseman Adam Retzbach homered in Double-A Chesapeake’s 6-5 win over Erie.
Starting pitcher Trey Gibson struck out 9 in 4 1/3 innings.
Vance Honeycutt, last year’s Orioles’ No. 1 draft choice, struck out five times in High-A Aberdeen’s 4-3 loss to Wilmington.
Carolina beat Single-A Delmarva, 3-2.
What’s next? Trevor Rogers (2-1, 1.53) will face Ryan Pepiot (6-7, 3.38) on Sunday at 12:10 p.m.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com