O's game blog: Looking for a sweep to start the second half

Even though the Orioles' first half ended with that crazy win over the Yankees last Sunday in Baltimore, they did go 1-5 on that homestand and were 9-13 in their past 22 games heading into the break.

But today, after wins by 9-1 and 8-4 at Globe Life Field, they have a chance to begin the second half with a three-game sweep of the Rangers.

For the second time in a less than a month, they have a chance to sweep the team that swept them out of the 2023 American League playoffs. They took the first three games of a four-game series in Baltimore late last month, but they lost the fourth game. Now they have a shot for a three-game road sweep.

The Orioles have swept five series of three or four games this year: They've had three-game sweeps at Boston (April 9-11), versus Minnesota (April 15-17) and at Cincinnati (May 3-5). They have four-game sweeps in Chicago against the White Sox (May 23-26) and in St. Petersburg, Fla., versus the Rays (June 7-10).

The Orioles are 5-1 against the Rangers this season, scoring 6.33 runs per game in the season series. They have hit 14 homers versus Texas, batting .273 with an .879 OPS. They have a team ERA of 3.83 in the six games.

Since the start of the 2021 year, the O's are 18-7 in regular season games against Texas. They have the best record of any team at Globe Life Field since it opened in 2020 at 9-2 after two wins this weekend.

Best records at Globe Life Field:

* Orioles – 9-2 (.818)
* Twins – 6-3 (.667)
* Astros – 21-13 (.618)
* Tigers – 8-5 (.615)

The Orioles were 58-38 at the All-Star break despite having two five-game losing streaks. The only other team in major league history to be 20-plus games over .500 at the break despite having two separate five-plus-game losing streaks was the Orioles themselves in 1979 (59-31).

In scoring 17 runs and hitting seven homers this series and scoring 23 runs the last three games, the O's are back leading the majors in runs per game:

* Orioles – 5.01 
* Yankees, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Dodgers – 4.95

After hitting four homers Friday and three last night, the Birds are now 40-8 (.833) when hitting two or more homers in a game.

On the mound today will be right-hander Dean Kremer (4-5, 4.38 ERA) making his 13th start. Over 63 2/3 innings, he has a 1.194 WHIP, 3.5 walks-per-nine-innings rate and 9.0 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate.

The Orioles are 6-6 in his games. Over his past four starts, Kremer has a 6.11 ERA allowing a .834 OPS. He has three quality starts.

Kremer has been better on the road than at home, going 3-2 with a 2.73 ERA in six starts away from Oriole Park. He is 1-3 with a 6.16 ERA in six starts at home.

Lefty Andrew Heaney (3-10, 3.79 ERA) makes his 19th start for the Rangers, who are 5-13 in the first 18. But he has thrown four straight starts allowing two earned runs or less with an ERA of 2.42 in that span. He has five quality starters but has also thrown five innings or less 11 times.

He was the winning pitcher June 30 in Baltimore when the Rangers avoided the sweep, allowing five hits and two runs over seven innings.