Orioles score eight runs in last two innings in 9-3 victory, match last year's win total (updated)

Dean Kremer did his job. One sinker that hung in the middle of the plate was his only real sin. Easily forgivable under any circumstances, and especially if he had more than a modicum of offensive support.

Kremer worked into the seventh inning, registered his fourth quality start in a row, and waited to find out whether the Orioles would be stuck on one run.

Danny Coulombe replaced Kremer with two runners on base and no outs, and he stranded them. Little did he know that he’d become the pitcher of record. Or that the Orioles would torch the White Sox’s bullpen and turn a tie into a blowout.

Then again, comeback wins have become routine with this team. The 41^st was approaching.

The first two Orioles were retired in the bottom of the seventh, a single and pair of walks loaded the bases, and Anthony Santander slapped a ground ball down the right field line to clear them in a 9-3 victory before an announced crowd of 14,903 at Camden Yards.

Santander finished with four RBIs, Ryan McKenna came off the bench and contributed a single, two-run double and two stolen bases, and the Orioles matched last year’s win total at 83. They also moved a season-high 34 games above .500, their largest margin since 1997.

The Orioles scored eight runs over the last two innings, claimed their 27^th series and will try Wednesday afternoon for their ninth sweep. They still lead the second-place Rays by 2 ½ games.

"We still have a whole month left," said Austin Hays. "We've already been able to get where we were last year, which was a really big turnaround for us. Yeah, it's a great accomplishment for us, but we know we're not done. There's a lot of baseball left, so just got to keep going."

Left-hander Aaron Bummer gave up a two-out, pinch-hit single to McKenna in the seventh. McKenna stole second base, Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson walked, and Santander raised his team-leading RBI total to 76 by taking a fastball to the opposite field.

"He's super consistent," said manager Brandon Hyde. "It's good ABs every night from both sides of the plate, drives in huge runs for us. He's playing right field, plays his tail off. He's just really become a professional player in every aspect."

Kremer allowed one run and six hits in six-plus innings to lower his ERA to 4.20. He walked none, struck out five and threw 93 pitches.

In his last four starts, Kremer has surrendered six runs over 25 innings for a 2.16 ERA. He's permitted one run in his last 15 innings.

"I thought Dean was outstanding," Hyde said. "Threw the ball great. Just got one solo homer."

"Giving up one in six innings of work, I'll take that every day of the week," Kremer said.

The benefits of a six-man rotation are illustrated almost nightly. The starters have registered a 3.30 ERA with a 1.047 WHIP in 16 games since Aug. 12.

"Getting that extra two days, depending on off-days and whatnot, it's definitely big at this point in the season," Kremer said. "August is usually the dog days, you know? So, getting that extra 24 hours or 48 hours is huge for all of us. And for myself personally, I feel like there was a little bit of a hump to get over through 110-130-ish innings. I feel like I might have surpassed that, but I don't know. Too early to tell."

Coulombe retired the first two batters he faced on bunts, the second advancing the runners. Korey Lee grounded out to keep the score 1-1.

"That could have changed the game there if they would have tacked on a couple runs," Kremer said, "so it was huge having Danny get out of that, for sure."

"That's what we're going to have to do," Hyde said. "We're going to have to piece this thing together out of the bullpen. And Danny was that bridge to get five huge outs for us in a big spot."

Cano entered in the eighth after Coulombe got a ground ball and foul popup. Hays ran down Luis Robert Jr.’s 384-foot fly ball to the left field wall, making a leaping catch.

Much of the value that Hays brings to the club is his mastery of left.

"You get a chance to catch balls that are normally homers in other ballparks," he said. "I imagine the one that Robert hit was probably 29 out of 30."

Shintaro Fujinami was handed the ninth after the Orioles padded their lead on Cedric Mullins’ fielder’s choice grounder following Jordan Westburg’s walk and Hays’ single, McKenna’s two-run double and run-scoring singles by Rutschman and Santander.

Why stop at 76 RBIs when you can squeeze in a 77^th? The veteran isn't stepping aside for the kids.

"He's our guy in the middle of the lineup that seems like every time he comes up there in a big moment, he gets it done," Hays said. "He just finds a way to come in clutch when we battle to get guys on base and give him that opportunity. More times than not, he comes through for us."

Fujinami hadn't allowed a run in his last four appearances, but the White Sox scored twice while he worked on back-to-back nights. Lee flied into a double play, which pretty much defines their season.

Adam Frazier’s single with one out in the fifth inning scored Hays with the tying run. The bottom of the order did the damage, including Ramón Urías with a single that preceded Frazier’s at-bat.

Westburg was out of the lineup again tonight with the White Sox starting right-hander Jesse Scholtens. Hyde said he wanted Frazier’s left-handed bat in the lineup and also mentioned Urias’ superb defense at third base and the need to get him going offensively.

Worked out nicely in the fifth.

Kremer surrendered his 26^th home run in the third inning to break a tie with Tyler Wells for the club lead. Wells hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since July 29.

The first seven White Sox batters were retired before Lenyn Sosa cleared the center field fence, and a leaping Mullins.

Scholtens retired the first nine Orioles before Rutschman lined a single into left-center field - the second time in three games that the Orioles needed Rutschman’s leadoff single in the fourth to get a baserunner.

They got a lot more in the seventh and eighth, the eight combined runs sending many fans to the exits early. Beat the White Sox and beat the traffic.

"Our offense definitely knows how to pile it on toward the end of the game and give our relievers a little bit more of a break," Kremer said.

"It's kind of been the name of our team throughout the season for whatever reason," Hays said. "It seems like that sixth, seventh inning rolls around and you have one guy who gets on, gets something rolling, and balls start falling, we start stringing together hits. And almost all those hits were line drives up the middle. Just kind of sticks to our approach. Simple, not everybody's going up there trying to hit homers. We're trying to get balls in the zone, make pitchers work, just pass it on to the next guy. And that's what we were able to do in that big inning."

* McKenna is 6-for-11 as a pinch-hitter this season.

* Triple-A Norfolk’s Kyle Stowers hit a two-run homer and has 36 in his career with the Tides, tying him with Jordan Westburg for second since the club became an Orioles affiliate in 2007. Stowers had to leave the game after being hit in the face by a 90.2 mph fastball in the fifth inning. He was being evaluated.

Heston Kjerstad had an RBI triple. Coby Mayo’s two-run homer in the ninth broke a 6-6 tie.

Cade Povich allowed three earned runs and five total with four walks and four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings to leave his Norfolk ERA at 7.61. He threw 73 pitches, 39 for strikes.

Double-A Bowie’s Max Wagner was removed from the game after being hit in the head by an errant throw, and he also was being evaluated.

Jackson Holliday singled twice, doubled and walked. Dylan Beavers got his first triple.

Elio Prado hit his fourth home run with High-A Aberdeen.