BALTIMORE-What happened? For the last four games, the Orioles’ offense has been nonexistent. After producing just 12 hits in three games against the Athletics, the Orioles got just three hits in seven innings against Seattle’s Georg Kirby.
Even though Dean Kremer was excellent, allowing one run on five hits in eight innings, the Orioles’ lack of production doomed them to a 1-0 loss to the Mariners before 19,356 on Tuesday night.
It was the 13th time the Orioles (53-66) had been shut out this season.
With an outfield of Greg Allen, Dylan Carlson and Ryan Noda starting because of injuries to Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill and trades of Cedric Mullins and Ramón Laureano, the spotlight is on the top hitters in the lineup — Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle.
“If we’re going be a team that wins in the playoffs, those five guys are going to have pressure on them,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “They’re going to have pressure on them there. So is it debilitating pressure? I wouldn’t say so.
“Has it been a tough few days? Sure. Do you have to give credit to Kirby? Absolutely. He’s pretty good. I just think one through nine we’ve just got to do probably a better job of working some deeper counts and stringing together some at-bats and create a little bit more traffic. But, yeah, you’ve got to tip your cap to Kirby a little bit.”
Carlson broke an 0-for-35– the longest hitless streak by an Oriole since Chris Davis had an 0-for-54 streak that stretched from the end of 2018 through the beginning of 2019 — with a third-inning single.
Henderson had a two-out double in the fourth, Holliday a two-out single in the seventh, and Rutschman a two-out single in the ninth against Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz.
Kirby (8-5) struck out seven without walking a batter.
Noda singled against Eduard Bazardo in the eighth. Bazardo recorded two outs, and Gabe Speier retired pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson on a fly to center.
Muñoz walked Henderson with two outs in the ninth and gave up an opposite-field single to Rutschman before Ryan Mountcastle’s long drive was a few feet foul of a three-run homer. He grounded to short, ending the game and giving Muñoz his 28th save.
“It just sort of hooked foul at the last second,” Mountcastle said. “It happens. But it would’ve been nice for it to have stayed fair, but unfortunately it didn’t.”
Kremer (8-9) allowed a run in the first inning on a single to Randy Arozarena, who stole second and scored on Josh Naylor’s RBI single.
Kremer gave up four hits in a season-high eight innings, walking one and striking out six.
How well did Kremer pitch? The eight innings was the longest Kremer has pitched since a complete game on September 23rd, 2022.
“My job is to be an innings-eater for this team,” Kremer said. “That’s the guy I want to be known as. I want to be the guy who takes the ball and gives a quality outing every time, regardless of the situation, injuries, no injuries, winning team, losing team. That’s just one of my goals as a pitcher in this league.”
Mansolino was impressed.
“Tonight was a really nice night,” he said. “We’ve seen him have really good games in the past, but I think over the long haul going back to April, he’s been really good. That’s a good lineup there that he just rolled through for eight innings.
“The first inning, Arozarena, who’s seen him a bunch from the Tampa days, hit the first pitch. Tip your cap, stole second. The two-out hit by Naylor, that’s kind of what won the game. We just didn’t get one. They did.”
What does it mean? The Orioles’ offense continues to struggle. Seventeen hits in four games isn’t acceptable.
What’s the stat of the day? Daniel Johnson, pinch-ran for Noda in the eighth, and Rico Garcia pitched the ninth. The Orioles have now used 60 players, two away from the team record 62 set in 2021.
What’s the word? “Reading their swings and their approach, what they’re swinging at, what they’re not swinging at and what’s working and what’s not working.”–Kremer on why he was effective.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? In his first rehab start, Albert Suárez allowed four runs on five hits in two innings in Double-A Chesapeake’s 10-6 loss to Erie. Suárez walked one and allowed a home run, throwing 42 pitches.
In his first game after a rehab assignment, Enrique Bradfield hit a three-run home run.
Ethan Anderson had two hits and drove in a run as High-A Aberdeen beat Hudson Valley, 5-2.
In his first professional game, Brayden Smtih drove in two runs as Single-A Delmarva lost to Lynchburg, 7-5.
Delmarva added six recent Oriole draft picks, including the three first-rounders — catchers Ike Irish and Caden Bodine, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, outfielder RJ Austin, and infielders Colin Yeaman and Smith.
Aberdeen added catcher Colin Tuft and outfielder Nate George from Delmarva, infielder Edwin Amparo, and right-handed pitcher Michael Caldon. Outfielder Hudson Haskin is now rehabbing with the IronBirds.
Chesapeake added right-hander Michael Forret, who moves up from Aberdeen.
What’s next? Trevor Rogers (5-2, 1.44) will face Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.35) on Wednesday night at 6:35.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com