Orioles exhibition game notes on Domínguez, Kremer, Mullins and more (O's lose 13-5)

SARASOTA, Fla. – The first two Atlanta batters reached today against Orioles reliever Seranthony Domínguez on a walk and a ball that deflected off substitute first baseman TT Bowens and rolled into right field.

The ground was opening up beneath him again.

In danger of having another inning implode, Domínguez responded with a called third strike on Charles Leblanc, a popup and liner to center field – the first scoreless appearance in his four games.

Domínguez was coming off his worst, with five runs and five hits in an inning against the Rays. He allowed two runs in each of his first two outings and four homers total.

He needed this one to go his way. It eventually did.

“That meant a lot for me because I’m trying to make an adjustment,” he said. “It’s been a little bit of a struggle for the first couple outings and I know the team needs me. They gave me the opportunity to be here. I’m happy to be here and I know I’m better than what I’m showing.

“I feel real bad, the last outing before this one. We work a lot to be ready for the season and do your best every single time you go out there and try to compete, and when things aren’t going the way that you want it, it’s really a struggle.”

Domínguez is working on an adjustment to his delivery that involves where his hands are set. He also needed to increase his level of confidence and get to where it must be by Opening Day.

“I feel better today,” he said. “I know it wasn’t my best outing, but right now I’ve got to keep continue to work on things I can get better.”

* Dean Kremer is the first Orioles pitcher to come back out for the fifth inning. He didn’t record an out against the two batters he faced, but the additional inning and 77 pitches were the most important part of his day. It just seemed to get lost by what happened afterward.

“I think there were some positives outside of the pitch count,” he said, “but definitely always pushing for that extra up and really kind of pushing the threshold of what your body can handle building up.”

Kremer was charged with four runs and seven hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Logan Rinehart let an inherited runner score, plus three more on Sandy León’s homer, and Kremer’s spring ERA held at 9.00.

Atlanta sent 13 batters to the plate and scored nine times to lead 11-0. The final out was met with loud applause from the crowd.

The Tigers hit three home runs off Kremer in Friday night’s game in Lakeland, and Nick Allen took him deep today leading off the top of the third. Michael Harris II cleared the fence and Cedric Mullins’ glove in left-center field leading off the fifth for a 3-0 lead.

Mullins appeared to make the catch. Harris paused rounding the bases before continuing his trip.

Harris hit another homer in the same inning, a three-run shot off Rinehart. Garrett Cooper, a former Orioles minor leaguer, had an RBI double off Zane Barnhart. Five of the runs were unearned because of two Jordan Westburg errors.

Kremer has surrendered 11 runs and 17 hits, including six homers, in 12 innings. He’s walked eight and struck out 11.

Asked about the positives today, Kremer replied, “Some pitch types, some pitch locations. Some things I was pleased with and other things not as pleased with. But overall I’ll take it.

“Some of the results not necessarily pleased with, but for the most part I’ll take it. There was a lot of weaker contact and I’ll take it.”

The Orioles want Kremer to take the proverbial next step in 2025 after he posted a 3.82 ERA in the second half and allowed only six earned runs in 24 innings in September, with opponents batting .195.

“He’s been a pretty good starter for us the last couple years number-wise. I think he can be even better, though,” manager Brandon Hyde said earlier today.

“I think the split-finger was a huge add for him. When you’re talking about starting pitching, you’re always talking about command. He fell in love with his cutter a few years ago. Now he’s using it at better times, in better spots, not missing in the middle as much with it. Just continuing to develop command of all his pitches.”

Kremer believes that consistency in quality is the key to becoming a more established major league pitcher.

“I think a good quote is, being good is boring,” Kremer said. “You do the same thing over and over again and you keep doing it, you might get bored, but if you’re really good at it, it ends up working out for you.”

Kremer stranded Allen in the first after a leadoff single, and a double play bailed him out in a second inning that included a walk and two singles. The Braves tacked on another run in the third after Allen’s homer, on Bryan De La Cruz’s one-out walk, Cooper’s double and Patrick Clohisy’s sacrifice fly. Third baseman Ramón Urías backhanded Luke Williams’ grounder and threw him out.

The fourth inning was highlighted by two strikeouts. Charles Leblanc reached on an infield single.

* Mullins led off this afternoon and went 0-for-2 with his bases-loaded walk. He’s batting .111 but already made the team. His stats aren’t important.

Mullins was a 13^th-round pick in the 2015 draft who’s in his free agency season. Enrique Bradfield Jr. is the No. 3 prospect in the system and the heir apparent in center field.

Hyde reflected on Mullins’ time with the Orioles, but he didn’t want to make it appear that free agent departure was inevitable. He was careful to make that point.

“I don’t want to frame it like he isn’t going to be with us,” Hyde said.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t get more defensive recognition, what he does in center field and how well he’s played center field since I’ve been here,” Hyde said. “He’s played excellent defense. He had that 30-30 year where that was a magical offensive season, and a season that, there weren’t too many offensive highlights. That was one that extremely stood out. Just a special achievement.

“When I think of Cedric, that’s the kind of player I think of. Great defense, the ability to hit a homer, being active on the bases, being a threat, being a tough out. And I thought he was that second half last year, and I’m hoping he can carry that into this year.”

* Ryan Mountcastle hit a three-run homer to left field yesterday in Clearwater and he came off the bench today and delivered a two-run shot to left-center. … Heston Kjerstad walked twice against a left-hander. … The Orioles loaded the bases against Ian Anderson with no outs in the fifth and scored twice on Mullins' walk against Aaron Bummer and Ryan O’Hearn’s fielder’s choice grounder. … Colton Cowser and Gary Sánchez walked in the second inning, but Williams ranged past the bag to backhand Urías’ grounder and throw across his body for the out. … Cowser walked twice and stole a base. … The Orioles didn’t have a hit against Anderson until Tyler O’Neill’s groundball single into left field with one out in the fourth inning. … The inherited runner scored against Rinehart when he fielded a comebacker, tried to get the force at second base and Westburg dropped the throw. Westburg also misplayed a bouncer in the inning. … Gregory Soto retired the side in order and struck out one in the seventh, but Keegan Akin surrendered a two-run homer in the eighth.

* Dylan Carlson homered in the ninth in the Orioles' 13-5 loss to the Braves.

Hyde on Domínguez:
"He's working on some stuff delivery-wise. Shaky command early but I thought he got better as the inning went on. He's been in the league for a while now. His command isn't perfect right now, but we expect it to improve over the course and be ready for the season."

Hyde on Kremer:
"Dean is a competitor. Today he threw a lot of two-seams. He's working on his two-seam. He gave up a homer on an elevated split. But Dean competes every time out and today was a tough day."