The more you know about Orioles pitchers

The proverb that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" warns that even a small amount of it might lure people into believing they're an expert on a particular subject, which can lead to mistakes.

So true. But we won't let that deter us this morning.

The more you know about Orioles pitchers in 2021:

* All nine of Keegan Akin's appearances at home came against a different opponent - the Yankees, Rays, Indians, Astros, White Sox, Tigers, Braves, Angels and Blue Jays. I mean, what are the odds?

The Orioles lost seven of those games, but don't place all of the blame on Akin.

* Dean Kremer allowed two runs to score on wild pitches during a May 25 game against the Twins at Target Field after being charged with only one wild pitch in his career, on April 28 versus the Yankees.

Kremer became the first Orioles starter to unleash two wild pitches in a game since John Means on June 16, 2019 against the Red Sox. He's the first Orioles starter to allow two runs via wild pitches in the same game since Arthur Rhodes on Aug. 21, 1991 in Texas.

* According to Statcast data, Jorge López threw the hardest pitch by an Orioles starter this season - a 98.5 mph fastball to the Nationals' Juan Soto on May 21 in D.C.

López threw seven pitches clocked at 98 mph or higher this season. His previous hardest pitch was a 97.1 mph fastball in 2019 in Detroit while starting for the Royals.

He was the only Orioles starter, with a minimum of two outings, to register multiple pitches with a velocity above 97 mph this season.

* Zac Lowther held opposing cleanup hitters to a .133 average (2-for-15) with one walk and one strikeout. They batted .125 (1-for-8) with runners on base and 0-2 with runners in scoring position.

Both hits came off the bat of Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

* Only one Orioles starter earned multiple wins against division opponents. Can you name him? Answer below.

* Bruce Zimmermann's .256 average against at Camden Yards was the second-lowest among Orioles starters (minimum one outing) behind Means (.248).

* Paul Fry led the club's relievers with a 0.5 Win Probability Added (WPA), according to Baseball-Reference.com.

* Joey Krehbiel hasn't allowed a hit to a left-handed batter in his career. They've gone 0-for-8.

A small sample size, but let's not scoff at perfection.

* Only one of the 14 home runs surrendered by Spenser Watkins came on the road - to Bogaerts on Aug. 13.

* Tanner Scott's 46 percent whiff percentage with his slider ranked as the third-highest among all major leaguers who use the pitch in a minimum 150 plate appearances.

Twenty-one of Scott's 48 hits allowed came with two strikes. Opponents were 21-for-124 (.169) against him with two strikes.

Twenty-five of Scott's 62 appearances came in high-leverage situations per Baseball-Reference.com, the most on the team.

* Cole Sulser held opponents to a .125 average with his changeup, tied for the lowest in the majors in a minimum 50 plate appearances.

* Tyler Wells' .176 average against on his fastball ranked as the 12th-lowest in the majors and fourth in the American League (minimum of 100 plate appearances).

* Dillon Tate's 53 inherited runners were the second-most in the majors behind the Angels' Steve Cishek (61) and tied for the most by an Orioles reliever since Jamie Walker in 2007.

Tate earned his first career save on June 29 in Houston to become the first Oriole to register one while his team won by 10 runs or more since Chris Ray in 2006. It was the 19th such occurrence in team history.

Answer: Watkins was the only Orioles starter to earn multiple wins against division foes, beating the Blue Jays and Rays in July. Means was credited with a victory against the Red Sox on opening day. Matt Harvey defeated the Yankees on April 26.