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CINCINNATI — Something has been in the water lately for Orioles pitchers.
And no, not that stuff that flows from the homer hydration system. This is purer. The Orioles rotation, which has seen four starters go on the injured list this season, has pitched to a 1.22 ERA in the last six starts, helping the team win five of its last six, including an 11-1 victory Sunday to sweep the Reds while holding them to two runs in the series.
“We are just putting pressure on the hitters and the at-bats,” pitching coach Drew French said before the game. “I think, when you get hitters feeling uncomfortable, that’s when they are more apt to chase. We can make pitches with two strikes and get the results that we want and the swings that we want.”
It started with Dean Kremer on April 30, when he gave up just two runs in seven innings. It continued with Corbin Burnes, who went six innings with two runs, then Kyle Bradish, in his first start of the season, who went 4 2/3 with one run. In Cincinnati, Cole Irvin and John Means each had scoreless outings, Irvin pitching 6 1/3 and Means seven in his season debut.
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Kremer continued that trend Sunday, pitching six shutout innings.
“Guys see what the guy does the night before and want to match it,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Right down the line, we’ve been doing that. We are on a good stretch of starts.”
Kremer utilized his five-pitch mix, even elevating his fastball at times, like the top-of-the-zone 95 mph pitch he hurled to get Nick Martini to strike out swinging in the bottom of the third.
Kremer held the Reds hitless through the first 5 1/3 innings, not allowing a baserunner until Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a sharp single to center field. Kremer then walked Jonathan India, but, after a quick talk with catcher Adley Rutschman, got back on track. Kremer struck out the side in the sixth, ending his day by getting Elly De La Cruz looking at a 93.9 mph sinker.
“Really battled,” Hyde said. “I thought he had all pitches working for him, kept them off balance. Super aggressive in the strike zone, fantastic.”
Albert Suárez, who was brilliant in his first two starts before being moved to the bullpen this week, also produced, pitching 2 1/3 hitless innings.
The Orioles, held to five combined runs in the first two games of the series, had 11 hits Sunday. They scored three in the first, one on a double from Anthony Santander and two on a home run from Jordan Westburg, his sixth of the season. Ryan McKenna also hit a solo home run, and Santander wrapped things up with a grand slam in the top of the ninth.
“I think we have the potential to be the best team in the big leagues,” Kremer said. “Our offense is unbelievable. The defense that they play is unbelievable. The pitching staff when we put it together is pretty good. I like where we’re at.”
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Danielle Allentuck covers the Orioles for The Baltimore Banner. She previously reported on the Rockies for the Denver Gazette and general sports assignments for The New York Times as part of its fellowship program. A Maryland native, Danielle grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Ithaca College.
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