O's game blog: Dean Kremer faces the Yankees

After a miserable night of baseball - one that saw them lose 6-0 and 10-1 - the Orioles try to regroup today and gain a game on the Yankees as the series continues. It's the third game of a four-game series.

The Orioles (20-24) have lost three in a row since winning six of eight games. They are 10-9 on the road and 11-16 versus American League East clubs. They begin play today tied with Detroit, 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the No. 8 AL playoff spot.

New York (24-21) has won its last three games, scoring 23 runs. But over longer stretches, they have lost eight of 13 and 15 of 23 games. They are 16-7 at home.

Right-hander Dean Kremer (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will make his second major league start today. He beat the Yankees on Sunday, allowing just one hit and one run over six innings. He walked three and fanned seven, throwing 88 pitches. He threw 45 fastballs that averaged 93.7 mph and topped at 96.1 mph. He threw 31 curveballs and 12 sliders.

Kremer became the fourth pitcher in O's history to work at least six innings while allowing one or fewer hits in his major league debut. The others were Chris Waters in 2008, Anthony Telford in 1990 and Bob Milacki in 1988. Kremer became the sixth pitcher in Orioles history to strike out at least seven batters in his debut.

He became the first Israeli citizen to be selected in the major league draft. Kremer pitched for Israel's National Team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and was named Most Valuable Pitcher for Israel in 2014 and 2015 after he helped Israel qualify for the European Baseball Championship. He has dual Israeli and American citizenships and his parents served in the Israel Defense Force.

The Yankees are starting lefty Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 5.72 ERA), who will be making his eighth start. On the year, he has thrown 28 1/3 innings, allowing 34 hits with a 1.412 WHIP, a 1.9 walk rate per nine innings and 7.3 strikeouts.

On Monday, Montgomery allowed two runs in 3 1/3 innings on 84 pitches against Toronto. He is 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA in five home starts.

While lefty batters hit just .229 with an OPS of .604 off him, right-handed batters are hitting .313/.919. The Orioles will have seven right-handed batters in their lineup today.

Orioles hitting notes:

* Hanser Alberto had hit safely in 12 of 14 games, batting .315 (17-for-54) with 17 singles. Alberto recorded 11 doubles in his first 20 games, but has just one in his last 20 games.

* José Iglesias is 0-for-11 in his past three games after batting .397 during a 13-game hitting streak.

* DJ Stewart is 10-for-20 over his past six games with six homers and eight RBIs.

* Ryan Mountcastle has nine RBIs in his past seven games.

* Cedric Mullins has hit safely in seven of eight games, batting .355 (11-for-31).