This, that and the other

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:

Jack Fisher in 1960
Hal Brown in 1961
Milt Pappas in 1964
Steve Barber in 1966-67
Tom Phoebus in 1967
Jim Palmer in 1978
Fernando Valenzuela in 1993
Kevin Gausman in 2016
Matt Harvey in 2021
Dean Kremer in 2022

Barber technically counts, but his streak began on Sept. 23, 1966 and continued in his next start in the opening game of a doubleheader, when he worked only one inning. He tossed a one-hit shutout in his 1967 debut, but the streak ended in his next outing when he allowed one run with nine walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Then it got weird.

Barber tossed 8 2/3 hitless innings on April 30 against the Tigers, but he was charged with an unearned run and two total, and he issued 10 walks. The Orioles had a combined no-hitter, including Stu Miller, and lost 2-1, with the go-ahead run scoring in the ninth after second baseman Mark Belanger dropped shortstop Luis Aparicio’s throw.

His first three starts that season came in doubleheaders.

* Yesterday marked the first time that the Orioles played a home game on the Fourth of July since 2008, also against the Rangers. They won that day 10-4.

Jeremy Guthrie allowed four runs in 6 1/3 innings before Ryan Bukvich replaced him.

I have no recollection of Ryan Bukvich, and I covered that team.

The Orioles signed Bukvich as a free agent in December 2007 and he made four appearances in his final major league season, allowing four runs and nine hits and walking six batters in 5 1/3 innings.

The Orioles have played in Baltimore 20 times on Independence Day and are 15-4-1. They tied the Kansas City Athletics 6-6 in 1964 at Memorial Stadium.

Moe Drabowsky lasted only two-thirds of an inning. Boog Powell, starting in left field, hit his 21^st home run. The A’s Manny Jimenez hit three homers.

The game was made up on Sept. 11 as part of a doubleheader, but the stats counted that day.

Why the tie? Because of an agreement that no inning would start after 8:15 p.m., prior to the annual fireworks display. The game began at 5:30 p.m. and was called on account of the curfew.

* Félix Bautista yesterday didn’t allow an earned run for the 20^th appearance in a row, walking a batter over two-thirds of an inning and watching Cionel Pérez strike out Steve Duggar on three pitches.

Bautista’s ERA is down to 1.39 and his WHIP to 1.02, and opponents are batting .186 against him. The rookie might be getting some consideration for the All-Star team, though an undefined relief role can make it trickier.

“Really happy with how he’s throwing the ball,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Maybe he’s closing by the break. Jorge López has surrendered a home run in his last three appearances, spared the loss yesterday on Adley Rutschman’s two-out, game-tying double in the ninth inning.

* Baseball America published its mock draft 5.0 over the weekend, and the Orioles apparently keep changing their minds about the first-overall selection.

The site circled back to Georgia prep outfielder Druw Jones, the son of 10-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones, as the first player chosen.

Last month’s 4.0 mock had the Orioles taking Oklahoma prep infielder Jackson Holliday, son of former major league outfielder Matt Holliday. The 5.0 has him slipping to the Diamondbacks at No. 2.

The Orioles also have been linked to Georgia prep shortstop Termarr Johnson at No. 1, but the 5.0 mock has him going to the Marlins with the sixth pick.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias also has IMG Academy outfielder Elijah Green, son of former NFL tight end Eric Green, on his five-player board.

I don’t buy the theory that the Orioles will pass on an outfielder because Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser are their last two first-round selections.

They don’t draft out of need. They take the top player on their board, no matter the position. And it could be an infielder or outfielder this year.

It’s not like they’re hurting for shortstop prospects.