Orioles break tie in eighth inning and win 5-2 (updated)

The Orioles’ streak of scoreless innings ended tonight at 25 after Oakland’s Tony Kemp lined a two-out, bases-loaded single into right field in the fifth to bring home two runs and tie the game.

There was more important work to be done.

Among the wild card tiebreakers, there’s no mention of shutouts or the succession of them.

Adley Rutschman came off the bench with one out in the eighth and coaxed a bases-loaded walk out of Domingo Acevedo, Jorge Mateo singled to left field on the next pitch to plate two more runs, and the Orioles kept rolling with a 5-2 win over the Athletics to begin a 10-game homestand.

Dean Kremer allowed two runs in six innings for his sixth quality start, and the Orioles reached the 70-win mark and moved nine games above .500 for the first time since May 20, 2017.

The Orioles failed in their bid for a third consecutive shutout, which would be their longest streak since 1995, when they tied the club record with five in a row. But Oakland didn’t score in eight of the nine innings.

"It's awesome," Kremer said. "We've got a special group of guys here. Things can take off at any moment, especially late in games when the bullpen comes in and shuts it down, and then we've got to face the other bullpen. And we've done a tremendous job of putting up runs late."

Anthony Santander led off the eighth with his 45^th walk and Ryan Mountcastle reached when Jonah Bride inexplicably fielded a ground ball and looked toward second base before throwing late to first. Ramón Urías laid down a sacrifice bunt, pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins was walked intentionally, and Rutschman, batting for Austin Hays, drew his 47^th walk in 83 games.

Mateo’s ground ball sneaked through the left side to increase the lead to 5-2.

"Just stays within himself and lets the game come to him so well for a young player," manager Brandon Hyde said of Rutschman, whose stroll to the batter's box caused the ballpark to erupt. "Just doesn't let the moment get too big, and that's a hard thing to do. You've got the bases loaded, game on the line, and to be able to take that sort of at-bat, it shows you how mature he is for such a young player."

"A big tribute to the coaching staff, the hitting coaches," Rutschman said. "It's just one of those things that we practice a lot. We try to make it a big focus on swinging at pitches in the zone. Just do the best you can."

Asked how he's able to stay calm in these situations, Rutschman smiled and said, "Yeah, that was definitely tough. It got pretty loud there for a second."

"It was a pretty cool moment," he said. "Just trying to think about your approach, your process, and stay within yourself."

Hyde sorted through every possible scenario in the inning, knowing the bunt would lead to the intentional walk, deciding when Rutschman hit, considering Rougned Odor as an option. Knowing he'd lose his designated hitter when replacing Jesús Aguilar and shifting Mountcastle.

"There were a lot of things going on right there," Hyde said.

Kremer’s response to Kemp’s single was 1-2-3 sixth, which left his pitch count at 94. He allowed five hits, walked one batter and struck out six while lowering his ERA to 3.22.

"To be honest, I thought tonight my stuff was the best it's been all year, without even a hesitation," Kremer said.

"Just one of those nights. The ball was coming out different."

Bryan Baker retired all five batters he faced. Dillon Tate got the last four outs and the win, with the Orioles turning a 6-4-3 double play on his final pitch that enabled Gunnar Henderson to also show off his arm at second base.

"He's a heck of a ballplayer and he brings great versatility, being able to play different positions," Mateo said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. "And man, that last double play that we turned there at the end was wow, it was really nice to be a part of."

Kremer almost fashioned a nifty escape in the fifth after Vimael Machín led off with a double and moved to third base on Dermis Garcia’s double. Kremer retired the next two batters, walked Cal Stevenson to load the bases and surrendered the single to Kemp on a 2-2 curveball.

The Athletics kept getting an assortment from Kremer, who struck out Garcia on a cutter to end the second after throwing a fastball, cutter, curveball, fastball and changeup. Garcia froze on the last cutter.

Henderson received a standing ovation as he came to the plate leading off the third inning, and he lined a double into the right field corner. The helmet stayed on his head. Some fans stayed on their feet.

Henderson got a great read on Robinson Chirinos’ fly ball down the left field line, which fell in fair territory for a 1-0 lead. Chirinos scored with two outs on Mountcastle’s single into right field.

Mountcastle has a hit in his last three games and an RBI in three of four.

Reliever Kirby Snead stranded Henderson at second base in the seventh inning after the rookie doubled again, this time down the left field line.

Both hits came against left-handers, countering a weakness for Henderson before his promotion.

"To be able to hit a slider down the right field line and backside a double the other way, I'm sure that was a great moment for him," Hyde said.

Aguilar remains hitless with the Orioles, but his fly ball to the edge of the left field warning track in the second inning would have been a home run in past years. Santander’s fly ball in the sixth suffered the same fate.

JP Sears walked Mountcastle with one out and Urías doubled off the left field wall, another victim of the new dimensions, but Sears needed two pitches to escape the jam. Mountcastle was out at home on Aguilar’s ground ball to third, and Hays grounded into a force at second.

Two ground ball singles got Kremer into trouble with no outs in the third. Cal Stevenson lined back to the mound, where Kremer made the catch and doubled off Jonah Bride.

Santander made a diving catch in right field to rob Shea Langeliers leading off the second, in the middle of a stretch when Kremer struck out four of five batters. An exceptional exception.

The three teams ahead of the Orioles in the wild card race won tonight. A night to keep pace. And to achieve bigger goals.

"I think we have a lot of confidence right now," Rutschman said. "I think we have a lot of confidence in each other, in the coaches and the whole staff, just knowing that we've got each other's backs, so I think we can take a lot of solace in that. And it's cool to have that kind of environment."

"We're a group that never gives up," Mateo said.

"These games, we're playing for our lives right now and we're playing to try to catch people," Hyde said. "We're playing important games in September. That's never happened since I've been here, so that's a lot of fun, to play the games that matter and not just try to play spoiler, but to play for yourself. Check your ego at the door. We're trying to go win the game somehow, anyhow and any way. It's a tough road ahead, but our guys are stepping up."

Down on the farm, Grayson Rodriguez’s next rehab start will be early next week at Double-A Bowie. Normal rest would return him to the mound on Tuesday.

Catcher Maverick Handley was activated from the Baysox’s injured list.

Garrett Stallings allowed three runs in six innings.

Tyler Wells started at high Single-A Aberdeen to begin his injury rehab assignment and was charged with one run in 2 1/3 innings. It scored after he left the game.

Wells allowed one hit, walked none, struck out three and threw 23 of 31 pitches for strikes.

Isaac Bellony hit his fourth home run.

Matt Harvey tossed six scoreless innings at Triple-A Norfolk, allowing three hits, walking four batters and striking out seven. Joey Ortiz had three hits.

Single-A Delmarva’s Tyler Joyner, who was rehabbing at the minor league complex, tossed two scoreless innings. Moises Chace followed and surrendered two runs in five innings.

Silas Ardoin went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.