O's game blog: The homestand begins at the Yard

After ending a four-game losing streak and hanging on for a 3-1 win Sunday at Minnesota, the Orioles make a quick turnaround today for a day game on the Fourth of July against the Texas Rangers. It is the opener of a three-game series and seven-game homestand that also includes four games with the Los Angeles Angels.

Right-hander Tyler Wells produced his latest strong start in the Twins series finale, allowing three hits and one run over six innings with one walk and a career-high seven strikeouts. He improved to 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA for an O’s team that allowed just eight runs in the weekend series.

Wells has allowed one run or less in each of his last four starts and has been the winning pitcher for the last five, going 5-0 with an ERA of 1.93 in that span. The Orioles have won his past seven games and his ERA is 1.89 during that 7-0 run.

O’s starting pitchers have been on a tremendous roll, allowing one earned run or less in 13 of the past 16 games, with a rotation ERA of 2.03 in that span.

Today's game with Texas marks the first time the Orioles have played at home on the Fourth of July since 2008, also against Texas. The O's won that game, 10-4. The Orioles have played in Baltimore on Independence Day 19 times in club history, going 14-4-1 with a 6-6 tie against Kansas City in 1964 at Memorial Stadium. The O's have hosted six Fourth of July matchups at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, going 4-2.

The Orioles face off against the Rangers today in the first of six matchups between the clubs this season. The O's will travel to Arlington, Texas, for three games from Aug. 1-3. Last year, Baltimore won the season series against Texas, 4-3, taking two out of three at Globe Life Field from April 16-18 and splitting a four-game series at Oriole Park from Sept. 23-26. 

The Rangers lost to the New York Mets Sunday and bring a record of 37-40 to Baltimore. They have lost three of four, are 3-3 on a nine-game road trip and are 6-7 the past 13 games. Texas got off to a terrible start this year, going 2-9 through 11 games and 6-14 over the first 20. Since late April, the Rangers are 31-26. They are 20-20 on the road in 2022.

The Rangers are 23-11 when they score first but 14-29 when they don’t. They are 24-3 when scoring six runs or more but just 13-37 when scoring five or less.

Right-hander Dean Kremer (2-1, 1.29 ERA) takes the mound today for his sixth start. He has not allowed a run over 18 2/3 innings his past three starts and has given up just one earned run in 23 2/3 his past four starts. In fact, since he gave up a three-run homer June 5 in his first big league inning of this season, he has allowed just one earned run his past 27 innings, a stunning display by the 26-year-old right-hander. This is a pitcher that went 0-7 with a 7.55 ERA and 1.640 WHIP in 13 starts last year.

Right-hander Dane Dunning (1-6, 4.09 ERA) starts for Texas. The Rangers are 4-12 in his 16 outings, losing the last eight. But he has thrown well over the past two games, allowing three runs in 12 innings, and his ERA is 3.79 over his past seven starts. In eight road games, he is 0-5 with a 5.58 ERA.