Orioles and Guardians lineups for second game of series

CLEVELAND – Heston Kjerstad is the Orioles' designated hitter tonight and Aaron Hicks is starting in center field.

Cedric Mullins is on the bench.

Gunnar Henderson is the shortstop and stays atop the order. Jordan Westburg is playing second base and Ramón Urías is at third.

Tyler Wells is in the bullpen tonight after the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.5 mph in the majors this season but topped at 95.7 mph while he pitched in relief with the Tides.

The Orioles bullpen has registered a 3.65 ERA in the eighth inning and later since Félix Bautista’s last appearance on Aug. 25, when it was 2.99.

Yennier Cano has allowed six runs (four earned) in 7 2/3 innings for a 4.70 ERA in his last nine appearances, with only two strikeouts among 31 batters faced.

Eight Orioles have driven in 60 or more runs, tied for the third-highest total in baseball since 1920, when RBIs became an official stat. The 2003 Red Sox and 2009 Yankees had nine players hit the mark.

The Orioles are tied with the 2023 Braves and 13 other teams, according to STATS.

Also per STATS, the Orioles are only the second team in major league history to have at least eight players with 60-plus RBIs and at least six pitchers with 100 or more strikeouts. The 2017 Astros did it and won the World Series.

Nine players in major league history have amassed at least 150 walks and 100 extra-base hits over their first two seasons. Adley Rutschman needs two more extra-base hits to join them, and he’d be the first catcher, per STATS.

On the list are Ted Williams, Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews, Jim Gilliam, Alvin Davis, Jeff Bagwell, Hideki Matsui, Kris Bryant and Juan Soto.

Rutschman is 8-for-16 in his last four games, with five doubles, a home run and five runs scored.

The Orioles are 12-1 since the beginning of July when Dean Kremer starts. Only five other pitchers in American League history have a better team record over the last three months of a season, also per STATS.

The Yankees went 12-0 with Whitey Ford in 1950, the Mariners were 15-1 with Randy Johnson in 1995, the Blue Jays were 15-1 with Roger Clemens in 1998, the Astros went 14-1 with Gerrit Cole in 2019, and the Brewers went 13-1 with Mike Caldwell in 1979.

For the Orioles
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan O’Hearn 1B
Aaron Hicks CF
Austin Hays LF
Heston Kjerstad DH
Jordan Westburg 2B
Ramón Urías 3B

Dean Kremer RHP

For the Guardians
Steven Kwan LF
José Ramírez 3B
Josh Naylor 1B
Kole Calhoun DH
Andrés Giménez 2B
Gabriel Arias SS
Will Brennan RF
Bo Naylor C
Myles Straw CF

Shane Bieber RHP