Kremer makes impressive return in 4-3 loss (updated)

Dean Kremer made his 14th major league start tonight and could brag of being the most experienced pitcher among the three rookies now planted in the Orioles rotation for however long it lasts.

Kremer was recalled this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk, his reset complete, and joined left-handers Bruce Zimmermann and Keegan Akin, who have started in 12 and nine games, respectively.

If fans want a distraction from the losing streaks that keep hounding this club, a trio of pitching prospects taking their turns should qualify, no matter how many lumps are raised from learning at the highest level.

Tasked with being a stopper tonight, a responsibility that seems to fall on everyone at times, Kremer waited out an hour-long delay and endured a couple of bizarre occurrences in a three-run first before plowing through the lineup in a 4-3 loss to the Indians at Progressive Field.

Kremer threw 27 pitches in the first and only 36 over the next four while retiring 12 of 13 batters. He was removed after 5 1/3 innings with a runner on base via an error, and José Ramírez produced an RBI double off Rule 5 pick Tyler Wells after Stevie Wilkerson dropped a fly ball in foul territory to extend the at-bat.

It was that sort of night, with Kremer deserving better after holding the Indians to four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. The Orioles didn't offer enough support at the plate or in the field and fell to 22-43 after their 16th road defeat in a row since John Means' no-hitter in Seattle.

Bryan Shaw walked two batters in the seventh and pinch-hitter Maikel Franco's groundball single to right field with two outs cut the lead to 4-3. Pat Valaika flied out against James Karinchak to strand two runners.

First base umpire Nestor Ceja ejected manager Brandon Hyde in the bottom of the first for arguing that Amed Rosario swung at a pitch that hit his hand. Rosario was awarded first base after a review and Hyde was tossed while standing in the dugout.

Hyde rushed back on the field, vented and turned over the game to Fredi González.

"I was arguing the check swing," Hyde said in his Zoom call. "Understand that ball hit him in the finger but wanted to see if they'd ask for help. First base umpire said he didn't go on the swing and threw me out for telling him he missed it."

"It shows that he cares a lot," Kremer said, "and he wants us to get out of this stretch as much as we do."

Then it really got weird.

With two runners on base and no outs, Kremer uncorked a wild pitch and Cesar Hernandez scored when DJ Stewart slipped and fell while tracking Ramírez's fly ball to left. Eddie Rosario followed with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left and Bobby Bradley singled for a 3-0 lead.

Harold Ramírez grounded into a 4-3 double play and Kremer must have wondered who ordered the sampler platter with his start.

"Settled in nicely after the (first)," Kremer said. "You can only control what you can control. It's a part of the game."

The Orioles collected a single in each of the first three innings and Trey Mancini drew a leadoff walk in the fourth. They finally broke through when Anthony Santander doubled off the fence in left-center to move Mancini to third base and Stewart bounced to the right side.

Freddy Galvis hit a nubber to the right that scored Santander and reduced the lead to 3-2.

Kremer, Zimmermann and Akin have shared the same roster and clubhouse, but circumstances have staggered their entrances in the rotation. They're together now with a fifth starter needed during an uninterrupted three-week stretch of games and Means on the injured list with a strained shoulder.

"Huge for us and for them," Hyde said earlier today on his Zoom call. "They're three starters right now in our rotation that don't have a whole lot of major league starts. They're going to be facing some teams that they've never faced before, major league hitters that they've never seen.

"All three guys can give another team a different look. They're all a lot different. We believe in all three of them. They're getting valuable major league experience up here, really, really young in their careers. We're very high on all three and looking forward to watching them pitch."

Kremer's four outings in 2020 came against division opponents due to the regional travel in a pandemic. Five of his first 11 starts came against the Yankees. He didn't see the American League Central until his last appearance before the Orioles optioned him, when he allowed five runs in four innings in Minnesota.

"That's not the easiest thing in the world to do," Hyde said of the constant exposure to the Yankees. "To be able to face other clubs around the league and see what else is out there a little bit, I think it's important, to not only face teams in our division but go face the other clubs."

Kremer followed his 27-pitch first by retiring the side in order on 10 pitches in the second, nine in the third and six in the fifth. He threw 11 in the fourth, getting a double play.

This seems to happen a lot in baseball. Can't explain it.

Ryan Mountcastle made an error to begin the sixth inning and Pedro Severino was charged with his sixth passed ball - one more than in 2020. Amed Rosario grounded out and Wells replaced Kremer at 71 pitches.

Used again in a tight game, Wells surrendered the run-scoring double that gave the Indians an unearned run following the Orioles' second error of the inning.

"I thought Dean threw the ball great," Hyde said. "I was really encouraged by his start. No walks. We misplay a ball in the first and don't help him out there in that first inning, but to be able to settle down after all that stuff happened to him and go four scoreless into the sixth inning ... Throwing strikes, thought he had a good curveball tonight, liked the changeup and I liked the way he threw strikes. So gave us an opportunity to win. Bottom line is we just didn't play defense and you've got to play defense in the big leagues to win and we made numerous plays that hurt us tonight. Or didn't make.

"An error leads off the inning, which happens, and a passed ball doesn't help. You give Ramírez two second chances, he's going to end up hurting you. ... I thought our pitching was fantastic. We definitely pitched well enough to win. Was encouraged by how we battled back and we got a big pinch-hit single. Our defense let us down today."

Kremer was unaware that he didn't walk a batter until told afterward.

"That's good," he said. "Any kind of free pass in general is kind of a shoot yourself in the foot."

The defense shined in the fourth, turning a 4-5-3 double play after Eddie Rosario's leadoff single and retiring Harold Ramírez on a ground ball that Galvis intercepted with a sliding stop on the outfield grass before making the long throw.

The Orioles wanted Kremer again to work on his fastball command with Norfolk and keep developing his changeup, to throw it more regularly. He did that in two starts and made his way back to the majors.

"Threw the ball fairly well," Hyde said this afternoon without offering any promises with Kremer beyond tonight's assignment.

The rotation won't grow stagnant. Means is going to return. Matt Harvey is clinging to his spot. Jorge López keeps presenting himself as a bullpen option, for good and unfavorable reasons. Left-hander Zac Lowther could be recalled later in the summer. Kyle Bradish and Alexander Wells could debut. Tyler Wells is a temptation with no runs allowed this month in 9 2/3 innings.

Center field is more settled. Cedric Mullins was back in the lineup after his first break yesterday and collected his 79th hit with a leadoff single in the first. He moved up on a wild pitch by Indians starter Jean Carlos Mejía, who struck out Santander and Stewart.

Right fielder Josh Naylor made a sliding catch to rob Valaika after Wilkerson's leadoff single in the third, but the Orioles manufactured a couple runs in the fourth and one more in the seventh.

Mullins led off the eighth with a walk and stolen base, and he swiped third base with two outs, but Karinchak struck out Mancini, Santander and Stewart.

Note: The Orioles are hosting on-site vaccinations at Camden Yards during the homestand that runs from June 18-23. The vaccinations will be available at Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant on the Eutaw Street promenade, with fans able to access the venue through the east side of the warehouse.

Adults 18 and over are eligible beginning four hours prior to first pitch until approximately 1 1/2 hours after it. The one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being offered.

Anyone receiving the vaccine at Camden Yards will receive a voucher for two complimentary lower level tickets redeemable for any game through July 11. Fans may redeem their voucher by presenting it at the main box office at the north end of the warehouse by Gate H.