Dean Kremer’s streak of scoreless innings ended yesterday at 22 2/3 after the Rangers loaded the bases in the fifth on three singles, Adolis García lifted a sacrifice fly, Nathaniel Lowe tied the game with a single on a two-strike pitch, and Mitch Garver followed with a three-run homer.

The Elias Sports Bureau and STATS don't credit Kremer for the two outs he recorded in the inning. Otherwise, it would have been 23 1/3.

Kremer had gone three consecutive starts for the Orioles without allowing an earned run, tying the club record shared by nine other pitchers, per STATS research.

Matt Harvey was the most recent last season.

Here’s the list:

MINNEAPOLIS – Tyler Wells has turned from experimental starter to staff ace.

There’s no disputing it. He’s reached that status. The proof is in the output.

Wells didn’t allow a baserunner in Seattle until Cal Raleigh homered with two outs in the fifth inning. He didn’t surrender a hit today until Nick Gordon doubled with one out in the fifth.

Given more room to operate in Minnesota, Wells held the Twins to one run in six innings and 90 pitches. The Orioles supported him with three home runs in the first six innings and avoided the sweep with a 3-1 victory.

The Orioles ended their four-game losing streak and a 12-game streak at Target Field, and they finished 5-5 on the road trip.

MINNEAPOLIS – Trey Mancini stayed in the Orioles lineup this afternoon after Sonny Gray drilled him on the right elbow yesterday with a 92 mph sinker in the fourth inning to load the bases.

The Orioles didn’t score, which also hurt.

“The ulnar nerve, I think it’s called. The funny bone,” Mancini said today.

No one is laughing.

“I’m good enough,” he said. “I’ve missed more games than I would have liked for a whole season already at this point, and if I feel like I can play without it affecting my performance … It hurts, but it’s not like the other one. When I got hit on my hand, I couldn’t close it the next day, so if I feel like I can play without it affecting my performance, I’m going to be in there.

MINNEAPOLIS – Adley Rutschman is back behind the plate for today’s series finale at Target Field that also closes out a three-city road trip.

The Orioles are attempting to end a four-game losing streak, and 12 in a row in Minnesota. They’ve suffered back-to-back walk-off loses over the weekend.

Cedric Mullins is out of the lineup. Ryan McKenna starts in center field.

Austin Hays is in left and Anthony Santander is in right.

Richie Martin is the shortstop today.

MINNEAPOLIS - The Orioles are closing out their series in Minnesota today, and their road trip, with the same infield options on their roster.

Change is coming.

Ramón Urías began his injury rehab assignment last night at Double-A Bowie, starting at third base and going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and committing a fielding error. He hadn’t played since June 9, due to a strained left oblique, or received an at-bat since June 7.

There’s bound to be some rust. And the Orioles will be careful to make sure he doesn’t experience any setbacks with an injury that requires a lengthy period of inactivity.

Urías hasn’t been the same hitter who crafted a .279/.361/.412 line in 296 plate appearances, but he can move around the infield and has some pop. His six home runs in 188 plate appearances are one fewer than he totaled last season, but he’s slashing .225/.273/.387.

MINNEAPOLIS – Jordan Lyles keeps it pretty basic.

Just give him the ball and don’t try to take it back. Let him push deep into games, ignoring the pitch count, and protect “the boys” in the bullpen who shouldn’t have to finish his work.

Lyles has volunteered to move up a day in the rotation because he wants to spare manager Brandon Hyde the task of finding a fill-in starter based on injuries or a weather-induced doubleheader.

“When Jordan’s on the mound,” Hyde said earlier today, “you know you’re going to get a pro start.”

Sometimes, it’s much more. And many times, it just isn't enough.

MINNEAPOLIS – Infielder Ramón Urías is expected to begin his injury rehab assignment tonight with Double-A Bowie.

Urías hasn’t played since June 9 due to a strained left oblique. Jonathan Araúz and Tyler Nevin are handling third base, and Richie Martin is available to share second base duties with Rougned Odor.

Starter Kyle Bradish threw on flat ground yesterday without any discomfort in his right shoulder, and he’ll have a bullpen session Sunday morning.

“Encouraged by both of those things,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Good to see Kyle start to get ramped up a little bit, going through his throwing progression, and Ramón in some game action.”

“Hopefully there aren’t any setbacks and he stays healthy during his rehab assignment.”

MINNEAPOLIS – Trey Mancini returns to the Orioles lineup today at Target Field after pinch-hitting last night. He didn’t start due to a sore right hand that required a cortisone injection.

Mancini’s eight-game hitting streak ended last night with his ground ball.

Mancini is playing right field and Anthony Santander is in left. Austin Hays is the designated hitter.

Robinson Chirinos is catching in a day game following a night game. Adley Rutschman is on the bench.

Tyler Nevin starts at third base.

MINNEAPOLIS - The numbers over the past few starts didn’t impress. They might have concerned fans begging the organization to bring him to the majors as the next elite prospect to make his debut, setting the alarm early on Mondays, when these promotions usually happen.

DL Hall is fine. He’s made 11 starts at the Triple-A level after being held to only seven last summer at Double-A due to a stress reaction in his left elbow. The Orioles slow-played him in the spring, careful to build up his innings at a safe pace.

The nine earned runs (12 total) and 10 walks in 7 2/3 innings in his previous two starts before last night left his ERA at 5.17 and WHIP at 1.591. But he had 59 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings for the season. He allowed one run and struck out 11 in 4 1/3 before those next two starts, which quieted some of the outside talk about promoting him.

Inside the organization, everyone has the same faith in Hall and sees the same qualities that make him profile as a top-of-the-rotation starter.

They were on display last night with four scoreless innings, one hit allowed and eight strikeouts against Gwinnett. The only hit was a bunt single, and Hall exited after 71 pitches.

If left-hander Bruce Zimmermann is getting a reset in the minors, Justin Ramsey is one of the most important people trusted to push the right buttons.

The Orioles gave Zimmermann 13 starts before making the hard decision to send him down to Triple-A Norfolk. They didn’t want to create another hole in their rotation and try to piece together innings with heavy bullpen usage. They didn’t want to demote a pitcher, the Baltimore native, who broke camp as their No. 4 starter and stood on the mound for the home opener.

They didn’t have much choice. Zimmermann allowed 35 earned runs in his last 36 1/3 innings and surrendered 17 home runs, bringing his total to 18 that tied for most in the majors.

The 14 2/3 scoreless innings to begin the season couldn’t save his job.

Ramsey, in his first season as Tides pitching coach, is tasked with getting Zimmermann to a point where the Loyola Blakefield graduate is ready to reclaim it.

The Orioles headed to the West Coast this week and my mailbag stayed in Maryland. A three-hour indifference if you don’t care.

This thing fills up faster than my tear ducts during the last scene of “Field of Dreams.” Have a catch? Yeah, toss me the tissues.

Fans are curious about the trade deadline. Who might go, who might arrive. Buyers or sellers. Live and let die.

Now I’m winging it.

I don’t get it.
This isn’t the interactive part.

The Orioles will try to earn another series win this afternoon following last night’s 2-0 loss to the Mariners.

Dean Kremer’s seven scoreless innings lowered his ERA to 1.29, but the Orioles were held to one hit. Kremer has registered 18 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

Austin Voth makes his third appearance and sixth start today with the Orioles. He’s been stretched out to three innings and 47 pitches, and manager Brandon Hyde will try to bump him a little further.

Voth has allowed one run in a combined 5 2/3 innings in his two starts, and he’s struck out seven batters. He’s never faced the Mariners.

Adley Rutschman is catching after serving last night as the designated hitter. He stole his first career base.

The Orioles knew that it was time.

The individual performances and the calendar dictated that outfielder Colton Cowser and infielders Coby Mayo and Connor Norby should rise to the next level of the farm system. Putting them together at Double-A Bowie. And in the same lineup last night, occupying the top three spots.

Three of the top 10 prospects in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com.

Cowser, the fifth-overall selection in last year’s draft, homered in his first at-bat and went 3-for-3 with a walk. Norby, batting leadoff, singled and walked.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what these guys are going to do in Bowie,” said executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.

Pitching is the No. 1 reason why the Orioles are better in 2022 than past years of the rebuild. And it’s inexplicable in a sense.

We can break down the numbers, but how is the rotation able to withstand the loss of ace John Means for the rest of the season? Followed by the demotion of left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, who allowed 17 home runs in his last seven starts, and rookie Kyle Bradish’s slump and placement on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Bullpen games are plotted and won. Tyler Wells, last year’s Rule 5 reliever who earned the closer’s job, entered last night’s game in Seattle as easily the most dependable starter on the staff.

Spenser Watkins was No. 5 in the rotation, injured and optioned. He returned Saturday in Chicago, the guy who re-signed with the Orioles in November as a minor league free agent, and allowed just an unearned run in five innings. The Tigers released him in 2020.

Austin Voth was a waiver claim, which made him a perfect fit on this team, and viewed as a potential starter down the line. He was needed more as a long reliever, to stretch him out as much as anything.

Rougned Odor has returned to the Orioles lineup tonight in Seattle, recovered from the back soreness that restricted him to one pinch-hitting appearance in Chicago.

Odor is batting seventh, two spots behind Adley Rutschman and one behind Ryan Mountcastle.

Jonathan Araúz is starting at third base after homering yesterday for his first hit as an Oriole.

Anthony Santander is playing left field and Austin Hays is in right.

Trey Mancini remains seventh among American League designated hitters in All-Star Game balloting. However, Hays has dropped out of the top 20 among outfielders. He was 19^th last week.

Minors Monday brought another round of prospect promotions this afternoon.

The Orioles have moved outfielder Colton Cowser and infielders Coby Mayo and Connor Norby from high Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie.

Sixteen of the organization’s top 17 prospects per MLBPipeline.com are playing at the Double-A level or higher. Outfielder Heston Kjerstad is the exception at Single-A Delmarva.

Cowser, the Orioles’ first-round selection last year out of Sam Houston State University, is batting .258/.385/.411 with 19 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts with the IronBirds.

Mayo, taken in the fourth round in 2020 out of Stoneman-Douglass High in Parkland, Fla., is batting .250/.326/.479 with 14 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. He doesn’t turn 21 until December.

CHICAGO – Dylan Cease struck out five of the first six Orioles this afternoon, plate umpire Junior Valentine giving Cease a call on a low fastball that angered Adley Rutschman and signaling that it could be a long day.

Gilman-product Gavin Floyd hit a two-run homer in the second, the first deficit for the Orioles since Tuesday.

The four-game winning streak came apart, with the Orioles settling for a series win and hoping to transport the lingering good vibes to Seattle. But they sure made it interesting.

Cease struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings, and the Orioles lost for the first time in five games, 4-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field. They're 34-40 as they continue their three-city road trip.

First baseman José Abreu committed back-to-back errors in the ninth and Jorge Mateo drew a four-pitch walk to give the Orioles three cracks at tying the game or taking the lead against Kendall Graveman. Jonathan Araúz singled to reduce the lead to 4-2, pinch-hitter Rougned Odor struck out, Cedric Mullins flied to deep center for a sacrifice fly and Trey Mancini struck out.

CHICAGO – Orioles rookie Kyle Bradish is optimistic that he can pitch again after his 15 days expire on the injured list. Manager Brandon Hyde thinks it will be close to the date, if not hitting it exactly.

Bradish is eligible to return on July 6. For now, he’s shut down with inflammation in his right shoulder.

“I’d say Monday on the off day, it kind of started to get a little tight,” he said today. “And then Tuesday I woke up and then threw a bullpen, and it didn’t get better from there. Right now it’s feeling good. We’re on some treatment and some other stuff, and it’s feeling good.”

Which leads Bradish to believe that he can jump back into the rotation when rules allow it.

“Yeah, no doubt,” he said.

CHICAGO – The Orioles waited to post their lineup until checking Rougned Odor’s back.

Odor worked out on the field and remained on the bench for the fifth game in a row - the last four due to injury.

Richie Martin is the second baseman and Jonathan Araúz is the third baseman, with Tyler Nevin among the reserves.

Trey Mancini stays in the lineup after being hit on his left hand yesterday. X-rays were negative.

Jordan Lyles has a 4.92 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 14 starts. He held the Nationals to two runs over 6 1/3 innings in his last appearance after going four consecutive starts without reaching the sixth.

CHICAGO – The Orioles have posted a 13-9 record in June, with a chance for their first winning month since August 2017. They haven’t gone .500 since July 2019.

They’ve built a 20-15 record since May 19, which is their best 35-game stretch in five years.

They have a chance today to post their first five-game winning streak since taking seven in a row from Aug. 7-14, 2020.

Trey Mancini talked yesterday about players showing up to the ballpark expecting to win, “and that's not a feeling we've had here in a long time.” Manager Brandon Hyde noted the energy and confidence, passing much of the credit to the pitching staff, including a bullpen stocked with waiver claims that’s registered a 3.07 ERA that ranks sixth in the majors.

The Orioles were dead last in 2021 at 5.70, and they hadn’t traded Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott.