O's game blog: Looking for a four-game split in the Bronx

After losing the first two games of their four-game series at New York by a combined 14-7 score, the Orioles rallied for a 6-3 win at Yankee Stadium last night. If the Orioles win tonight they will have a four-game series split and will move four games ahead of New York for second place in the AL East.

At 50-35 the Orioles reached the 50-win mark which they did not reach last year until July 28 when they were 50-49.

With the win the Orioles have now gone 67 straight series without being swept.

The Orioles are now five games behind first place Tampa Bay (57-32) which lost last night. The O's are three games ahead of New York for third place, 4.5 games ahead of Toronto and seven games up on Boston.

The Orioles are now 15-11 on the year in AL East games and 4-5 versus New York, going 3-3 at Yankee Stadium. The Birds are 13-7 in their past 20 AL East games.

The Yankees, even with Wednesday's loss, have won seven of 11 and nine of their past 15 games. They are 48-39 for the year and 13-16 in division games.

Right-hander Dean Kremer went seven innings allowing two runs (one earned) last night on four hits. He is now 9-4 with an ERA of 4.78. Kremer threw 103 pitches, two off his season-high and three off his career-most. He set a new career high with 10 strikeouts, his previous mark was seven and with 18 swings and misses. The Orioles are 12-6 in Kremer's 2023 starts. He provided the O's with their 30th quality start of the year and they are 22-8 when they get one.

Right-hander Kyle Bradish (4-4, 3.58 ERA) will make his 16th start tonight. He has allowed two earned runs less in his past four with three quality starts and an ERA of 2.16 in that span. In 25 innings he has walked five and fanned 23, allowing a .571 OPS.

Bradish has allowed three earned runs or less in 11 of his past 12 starts, going 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA in that span. 

In one start this year against the Yankees, he gave up four runs and seven hits over five innings May 23 in the Bronx on 90 pitches. 

Outfielder Colton Cowser picked up his first career MLB hit and RBI with an RBI single in the sixth inning to drive in the Orioles’ first run of the game. He is the second Oriole this season to record his first career hit and RBI in the same AB in his big league debut, joining Joey Ortiz on April 27 at Detroit.

First baseman Ryan O'Hearn hit a two-run homer in the ninth, his seventh home run of the season. He is batting .370/.438/.630 (10-for-27) with one double, two homers, 17 RBIs, and four walks with runners in scoring position this season.

Center fielder Cedric Mullins  went 2-for-5 with two doubles. He hit two baggers in the sixth and seventh innings. His double in the sixth marked his first extra base hit since May 23 at Yankee Stadium.

Catcher Adley Rutschman had a single and double recording his 20th multi-hit game this season. He extended his hitting streak to seven games, batting .344 (11-for-32) with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs in that span. In 18 career games versus the Yankees, Rutschman has hit .357/.451/.500 (25-for-70) with 10 runs, seven doubles, a homer, four RBIs and 12 walks in that span.