Henderson serves as DH and Mateo gets start at short in series finale in Cincinnati

The Orioles are trying for the sweep this afternoon in Cincinnati and Dean Kremer is hoping to keep the pitching staff on its roll.

The team ERA is 1.17 in the last six games and 2.23 in 13. John Means notched the rotation’s seventh scoreless start last night.

The Reds have scored one run in the first two games of the series, and it came against Craig Kimbrel last night in the ninth inning before Yennier Cano recorded the two-out save.

Kremer has registered a 4.19 ERA and 1.078 WHIP in six outings. His eight home runs surrendered are tied for most in the American League.

Kremer tied his season high with seven innings in his last start against the Yankees, with both runs scoring on solo homers. He faced the Reds in 2022 in Cincinnati and allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.  

Jonathan India and Joey Votto homered.

Santiago Espinal is 5-for-7 with two walks against Kremer.

A statistical oddity from STATS: Batters have posted a .179 average against Kremer’s fastball on the road and are whiffing 21.9 percent. At home, those numbers are .417 and 13.5 percent.

Colton Cowser has returned to the lineup after beginning the last two games on the bench. He pinch-hit for Ryan McKenna last night and struck out.

Gunnar Henderson is the designated hitter and Jorge Mateo plays shortstop and keeps batting sixth.

McKenna is in center field and Cedric Mullins heads to the bench. Ramón Urías is at third base.

Also from STATS, Orioles’ batters have a 36.2 fly ball percentage this season, the highest in the majors.

The Reds are starting another left-hander, Nick Lodolo, the seventh-overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Texas Christian University. He’s 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 0.875 WHIP in four starts and has struck out 31 batters in 24 innings. He’s surrendered only one home run.

Lodolo hadn’t pitched since last May due to a left tibia injury. He returned to the Reds on April 13.

In his most recent start, Lodolo held the Padres to one run and one hit in seven innings and struck out 11. Jurickson Profar homered in the first.

Left-handers slash .146/.239/.220 against Lodolo in his career. Right-handers slash .268/.357/.456. Twenty-three of 24 home runs have been hit by right-handers.

The Orioles faced Lodolo in 2022 and scored once in six innings. He struck out seven.

Anthony Santander went 2-for-3.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson DH
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Jordan Westburg 2B
Jorge Mateo SS
Ryan McKenna CF
Colton Cowser LF
Ramón Urías 3B

Dean Kremer RHP

The Nationals are starting right-hander Trevor Williams and left-hander Mitchell Parker next week in the two-game series in D.C. Corbin Burnes and Kyle Bradish line up to start for the Orioles but the club hasn’t posted its game notes.