O's game blog: Dean Kremer faces Mets in Game 2

After they suffered a walk-off 4-3 loss to the Mets last night, the Orioles take the field tonight needing to win two straight to take this series at Citi Field before they return home.

The Orioles (73-53) take the field tonight a half-game behind the first-place Yankees (73-52) who begin a home series tonight with the American League Central-leading Guardians (72-52).

Last night's defeat, the Orioles' fourth walk-off loss of 2024, was their third loss in four games and fifth in their last eight. The Orioles are 15-15 since the All-Star break. 

The Birds fell to 23-18 in series openers and to 11-9 when that series opener was a road game.

The Orioles are 12-13 in July and 8-9 in August. They are 58-33 versus AL teams, but just 15-20 against the National League.

Orioles pitchers struck out 14 Mets batters, tied for their second most in a game this season. It was exceeded only by their 16 on April 24 at the Angels. Of the 14 strikeouts, nine came from the bullpen, matching a season high after also doing so on April 10 at Boston.

Ramón Urías launched a game-tying, 432-foot solo homer in the seventh inning Tuesday night, tied for the longest home run of his career. Ryan Mountcastle doubled for the 28th time this year, tying a career high set in 2022.

We found out this afternoon that new Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin, who is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA for the club, is headed to the injured list. Eflin goes on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Saturday, with right shoulder inflammation. Lefty reliever Keegan Akin, who fanned five in two innings last night, goes to the paternity list. The O's recalled lefty Cade Povich and righty Dillon Tate to take their roster spots.

The O's rotation keeps taking hits. The Birds can now form an IL rotation of Kyle Bradish, Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, John Means and Tyler Wells. That five could win a lot of games.

Even with all the injuries thus far, the O's rotation currently ranks fourth in the AL in ERA. Baltimore is one of seven AL rotations with an ERA under 4.00:

3.26 - Seattle
3.55 - Kansas City
3.77 - Detroit
3.82 - Baltimore
3.86 - New York
3.95 - Boston
3.96 - Houston 

On the mound tonight will be right-hander Dean Kremer (5-9, 4.48 ERA), making his 18th start. The Orioles are 7-10 in his first 17 games, but he threw well in his last start, allowing one run over six innings to the Nationals.

Kremer has allowed two earned runs or less eight times this season with five quality starts. In eight games this year against NL teams, he is 2-5 with a 4.43 ERA.

Lefty Jose Quintana (6-8, 4.26 ERA) starts against the Orioles. In three August games, Quintana has a 6.89 ERA and .796 OPS against. But in his eight previous starts, he pitched to an outstanding 1.91 ERA over 47 innings.

In 10 career games (eight starts) against Baltimore, Quintana is 2-5 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.219 WHIP.

Gunnar Henderson ranks third in the major leagues with 98 runs scored behind the Yankees' Juan Soto (103) and Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (108). With two more runs, Henderson would become the sixth player in O's history to score 100 runs in back-to-back seasons after scoring exactly 100 times last year, along with Manny Machado (2015-16), Adam Jones (2012-13), Orioles Hall of Famer Brian Roberts (2007-09), Orioles Hall of Famer Brady Anderson (1995-96) and Hall of Famer and Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. (1983-85). Henderson has homered four times in the last six games after going deep once in his previous 23 games after the All-Star break.