Kremer scoreless in return, O'Hearn with big hits in Orioles' 4-1 win (updated)

SEATTLE – The hugs and handshakes earlier today for the two All-Star starters with the Orioles told only half the story. There also were sympathy and words of encouragement for four finalists who didn’t make it.

Four guys with concrete cases for inclusion as reserves. An entire clubhouse vouches for them.

Ryan O’Hearn maintained his billing as a professional hitter with an opposite-field, two-run double in the third inning to break a scoreless tie. O’Hearn came home on Ryan Mountcastle’s single in his return to the lineup after an undisclosed illness. Mountcastle held at third base on Anthony Santander’s double at 106.3 mph off the bat.

O’Hearn was halfway to the cycle in the fifth after his home run to right field. If it looks like a statement game and sounds like a statement game, perhaps it is unintentionally.

Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert had a 0.881 WHIP before tonight that ranked as the lowest in the majors. He registered five quality starts last month and walked only one batter in 35 2/3 innings. But the Orioles took a patient approach, played small ball until O’Hearn deviated from the script, and won 4-1 before an announced crowd of 37,998 at T-Mobile Park.

The Yankees lost to the Reds again tonight to give the Orioles (55-31) a season-high two-game lead in the division. Baltimore has won six of seven and goes for the sweep Thursday afternoon.

Dean Kremer returned from a strained right triceps and shut out the Mariners on two hits over five innings in his first start since May 20 in St. Louis. He didn’t allow a hit until Ty France’s two-out single in the fourth, and he responded by netting his seventh strikeout on a splitter to Jorge Polanco.

The crowd booed again, worn thin by Seattle’s putrid offense.

The final line included two hits, the other Julio Rodríguez’s infield single leading off the fifth, two walks and eight strikeouts. Kremer was removed after 83 pitches to ease him back from the injury.

“Very pleased," Kremer said. "What I’ve been working on and chipping away at is coming to fruition. Very happy with the direction it’s been going.”

This was Kremer’s third career start at T-Mobile Park. He’s allowed one run in 18 innings.

"I think when a guy’s coming off the IL, you just have no idea what to expect, honestly," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He had kind of rocky rehab starts. He got his pitch count up the last time, but he still didn’t get through the fifth inning. For him to go on a big league mound on the road and pitch five scoreless innings, that was as sharp as he’s been, really, all year for me.

"The split-finger was a real weapon tonight, and he threw it a lot and had great feel for it. He did an outstanding job."

Kremer's trip to the injured list was only his second in the majors.

“It sucks because I was in Baltimore, basically, every night but didn’t really participate, so don’t really feel the most worth," he said. "But I’m glad to be back. Watching these guys grind through one of the tougher months this season and just happy to kind of just step back in wherever we need to go.”

Kremer thought he was behind 1-0 in the second inning after getting a fastball up to Rodríguez and watching it soar to deep center field. Kremer spun and snapped his head as if scolding himself, but Cedric Mullins made the catch against the fence. A 394-foot out.

Cal Raleigh struck out twice against Kremer, but he hit a 423-foot home run to center field off Keegan Akin in the sixth. Akin saw the minimum three batters, retiring two, and Jacob Webb replaced him.

Santander ran a long way to make a diving catch of Dylan Moore’s shallow fly ball and strand a runner for Webb in the seventh. Cionel Pérez tossed a scoreless eighth and Craig Kimbrel registered his 21^st save and 438^th of his career to grab sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list. Kimbrel struck out two.

“Well, it means I’m getting opportunities and I’ve been able to succeed at them," Kimbrel said. "We kind of saw it coming, leading up to it, and it’s an honor. I got to share a bullpen with Francisco in the 2014 All-Star Game. Just getting able to watch him and how he went about his business, he’s very routine-based, went out there and got guys out. Anytime you have the opportunity to be on this list, but to surpass a guy you got to spend time with and enjoyed their craft and what they did, it’s really cool.”

Gilbert faced the Orioles on June 23, 2023 in Baltimore and held them to one run and two hits in seven innings. They drew three walks against him tonight by the third and kept the line moving.

Ramón Urías and Adley Rutschman walked in the third and O’Hearn followed with his double, poking a slider at 101.6 mph to left-center field. Rodríguez failed in his attempt at a sliding catch.

Mountcastle singled in his first start since Friday and the Orioles led 3-0.

"That was a great inning for us," Mountcastle said. "O’Hearn, a great night tonight, and pitching was awesome. A lot of good at-bats and great team win.”

Asked what kept him out of the lineup, Mountcastle replied, “Just feeling under the weather. Just felt sort of weak and not good, not like myself. Just took a couple days and it’s good to be back in the lineup today.”

A poorly located cutter from Gilbert in the fifth resulted in O’Hearn’s 11^th home run. The Orioles lead the majors with 140.

"Well, he’s been doing this all year for us, hits after hits in big spots," Hyde said. "You know, Logan Gilbert is really, really good. For him to drive the ball in left-center and jump on a homer there, where we’d be without him, he’s been unbelievable for us.

"Gilbert’s got seven pitches and almost all of ‘em are plus. Our guys just do a great job of narrowing their strike zone. O’Hearn’s not trying to do too much there on that double, he’s looking to stay short and stay in the middle part of the field and he got something he could handle and put a good swing on it. Santander hit the ball hard all night. It’s great to see Mounty back in the lineup and getting a big hit for us also, using the whole field, going the other way, When we’re short to the baseball and have a really middle-of-the-field, opposite-gap approach, we’re pretty dangerous."

O’Hearn lost out to Houston’s Yordan Alvarez by four percent of the votes at designated hitter. Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bested Mountcastle 61-39 percent, and Santander’s 26 percent left him behind the Yankees’ Juan Soto (31) and Cleveland’s Steven Kwan (28).

Could O'Hearn at least appreciate the timing of his performance tonight?

"Um, no, honestly no," he said. "I’m just happy to have a good game and help the boys win. This sounds cliche, but I’m locked in on the O’s winning the East right now. If I get to go to the All-Star Game, that would be a dream come true, it would be awesome. Either way, I’m just grateful for the love and the support that people voted for me.

"If it happens, it happens. If not, it’s all good. I’ll go home and enjoy my few days at home. But it’s more focused on team goals."

Hyde is hoping that more of his players crack the American League roster besides starters Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. Jordan Westburg also was a finalist at third base and received 40 percent of the votes, compared to 60 percent for Cleveland’s José Ramírez.

Westburg had a hustle double in the sixth on a ground ball deflected by two infielders. He reached second base, looked into the dugout and made a half-hearted sprinkler motion – turning the imaginary knob and waving his hand. Easily one of the funniest moments of the season, and in typical low-key Westburg fashion.

Kimbrel and starters Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez also are in the All-Star discussion.

“We have a lot of guys who deserve it,” Hyde said this afternoon.

“When you win as many games as we have the last two years, year and a half especially, there’s a lot of really good individual performances, and this year we’re having a bunch.”

The Orioles hadn't had multiple starters at the All-Star Game since 2014. Henderson and Rutschman won by comfortable margins.

“This is an unbelievable job in that you have a lot of cool moments, and days like today are one of those, where you tell two guys you care about a lot that they’re starting in the game,” Hyde said. “It’s an incredible honor. To see the look on their faces when I told them, it was absolutely priceless and really proud of those guys. And proud of the four other ones, also, that were so close.

“To have two starters there representing our team, our city, it’s awesome to have these two guys starting in the game.”

What does it say about the organization that the first two draft picks in 2019 under executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias are starting in the All-Star Game?

“It means Mike’s drafted pretty well, really well. And the scouting department and everybody involved,” Hyde said.

“The amount of talent that they’ve accumulated in this organization is such a testament to them, and picking the right guys and having these guys perform in the major leagues, it’s just awesome for everybody.”

* The Orioles will announce their rotation plans Thursday afternoon for the weekend series in Oakland. Albert Suárez is confirmed for Friday night.

Left-hander Cole Irvin moves to the bullpen after allowing 17 earned runs and 22 total in his last four starts over 18 innings to raise his ERA from 2.87 to 4.13.

“That could change anytime,” Hyde said. “We’ve bounced him back and forth a couple times already. We’re going to go with these five, but like I said a million times this year, could be adjusting on the fly. You never know.”

* Right-hander Kiefer Lord, the club’s third-round pick in the 2013 draft out of the University of Washington, underwent Tommy John surgery today in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Keith Meister handled the procedure.

Lord made one relief appearance last summer in the Florida Complex League and didn’t pitch this year.

Kyle Stowers hit his 16^th home run for Triple-A Norfolk. Stowers and Connor Norby each had two hits.

Bruce Zimmermann, back with the Tides after a hamstring injury and brief rehab assignment, allowed one run and two hits in three innings. Brandon Young tossed four scoreless innings with one hit allowed.

Double-A Bowie catcher Samuel Basallo hit his 12^th homer, a three-run shot. Ryan Higgins hit his third.

Seth Johnson allowed two runs in four innings.

High-A Aberdeen’s Noelberth Romero belted his first home run. Creed Willems had three hits.

Aron Estrada hit his eighth homer for Single-A Delmarva.