Kremer has shortest outing and O's lengthen skid with 9-1 loss

Staying in the pennant race until the final week of the season is small consolation for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. A feeling of pride that doesn't overflow the cup.

Hyde recounts the leads lost along the way. The games that should have been won. And it gnaws at him.

A "pretty good accomplishment," Hyde says, considering the inexperience, injuries and daily challenges of living and working in a pandemic. But his competitive side reminds him of the offensive droughts and late-inning turnarounds. Events that he finds discouraging.

"I feel like we should be ending the year a little stronger," Hyde said earlier today.

The Orioles are trying, but they're running out of time.

Dean Kremer surrendered two runs in the first inning in his final start, was charged with five more in the third and kept checking a finger on his pitching hand, which prompted a mound visit from an assistant athletic trainer. Nathan Eovaldi held down an offense that hasn't shown the strength to get up and the Red Sox won 9-1 at Fenway Park.

The Orioles are a season-high 10 games below .500 at 23-33 and only one ahead of the last-place Red Sox in the American League East. They've lost 12 of their last 15.

Kremer lasted only 2 2/3 innings and clearly had a medical issue, though probably nothing more serious than a blister or cut. He left with five runs on his line and Branden Kline let two inherited runners score and one of his own for an 8-0 lead.

The Red Sox worked Kremer for 22 pitches in the first and led 2-0 after Alex Verdugo's leadoff double, a Xander Bogaerts walk and two-out singles by Jackie Bradley Jr., and Kevin Plawecki.

The frustration comes from being so close to escaping the jam. Kremer struck out Rafael Devers on a beauty of a curveball before walking Bogaerts. J.D. Martinez flied out, but back-to-back singles followed.

Bogaerts led off the third with a single and scored on Martinez's double for a 3-0 lead. Bradley flied out, assistant athletic trainer Patrick Wesley checked on Kremer's hand, and Plawecki tripled on a ball that eluded Austin Hays' diving attempt in right field.

Rio Ruiz fielded Bobby Dalbec's ground ball and got the out at the plate, but Michael Chavis doubled to give Boston a 5-0 lead. Kline walked Verdugo to load the bases and Devers cleared them with a double.

Kremer allowed one run in each of his first three starts for a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings, but the Red Sox were the first team to consistently put the barrel on the ball. They collected seven hits and drew three walks among Kremer's 64 pitches and raised his ERA to 4.82.

The early margin was going to be a huge problem for a team that has scored three runs or fewer in 11 of its last 14 games.

Eovaldi shut out the Orioles over six innings, striking out eight. Hays greeted Mike Kickham with a home run in the seventh for his third hit of the night, making him 13-for-34 (.382) since returning from the injured list.

The Orioles are 1-22 when scoring three runs or fewer and they were tasked with squaring up 100 mph fastballs from Eovaldi. Hays singled in the second inning and Pat Valaika singled with two outs, but he was thrown out trying for the double. The safe call was challenged and reversed.

Valaika also had three hits tonight.

Bruce Zimmermann made his second major league appearance, entering in the fifth, and allowed one run and two hits with five strikeouts in four innings. Bradley came home on a wild pitch with two outs in the seventh after shortstop Ramón Urías made a diving stop to rob Chavis and got the force at second base.

What happened to Kremer tonight, and Keegan Akin's struggles last night, won't cause anyone in the organization to sour on the rookie duo. They're going to be in next season's rotation. Mountcastle is going to play left field and bat in the middle of the order.

The club's won-loss record won't erase the individual gains.

"Sitting in the bullpen seeing it from that perspective is one thing, and then seeing what they do, but also when I was hurt I had the ability to watch every single pitch from a different view. Watch the pitcher's view on TV, watch what the action's doing, their approaches," reliever Shawn Armstrong said this afternoon in a Zoom conference call.

"I don't know much about hitting. Let's be honest. But as far as Mountcastle, he's phenomenal. He's doing a great job. But the way these guys came to the big leagues, stepped up, didn't miss a beat ... Akin had one rough outing and bounced back the next outing and dominated. That says a lot about them and that says a lot about the guys that the Orioles are drafting and it says a lot about what that staff is doing down in Bowie to prepare those guys to be here.

"Me being down there for three weeks, I can't say any negative things about that staff down there. They're doing a really good job to prepare those guys to get to the big leagues. And it says a lot about them to make that adjustment, to take that step. Not even coming from alternate site, but coming from a place where they're not playing in games to a big league atmosphere to the big league game, the way it speeds up, and for them to come here and have success.

"They do a great job. They handle their business, they keep their head down. They have their eye on the prize."

The playoffs and a winning record are no longer attainable rewards. To finish strong would mean winning four games in a row.

For that, there's still time.

Hyde on Kremer: "I just think he had a tough time putting guys away tonight. His fastball velo was a little bit down. I thought they were on a lot of his pitches. Missed in the middle a few times. It didn't go smooth there early. I think the finger, we did go out to the mound and check on the nail. It looked like it was affecting him, maybe, a little bit, but he tried to grind through it. I just thought they were on a lot of his pitches tonight. He wasn't as sharp tonight as he had been."

Hyde on Zimmermann: "I thought we had some positives tonight. I thought Bruce Zimmermann was one of them. Really threw the ball well. I liked the breaking ball. Kept guys off-balance, not a whole lot of hard contact. I thought we played some nice defense. I thought Zimm really picked us up with four good innings, and that was nice to see after the start the other day, which I thought went OK. I thought tonight he pitched better and mixed speeds well. Did a nice job."

Hyde on what Kremer showed him in four starts: "I'm excited about Dean. I think Dean's got a big upside. Keegan also, Zimm, I think these guys have big upside. This has been a real valuable experience for them this year and getting a few starts under their belt. I'm looking forward to next year because I think they're going to take this with them into next spring training. Now they've got a taste of the big leagues. Both Keegan and Kremer made starts in Yankee Stadium, Fenway, now they're going to go back and sit on this during this offseason, get better for next year, next spring training, and use it as a positive. Both of those guys and Zimm tonight have had periods of throwing the ball well, made some good starts and looking forward to next year with those guys."

Hyde on Hays: "Nice to see him get it going a little bit with three hits tonight. Driving the ball out to left field, playing some exciting baseball right now. I think getting some at-bats under his belt, starting to feel a little bit more comfortable. It's nice to roll into the offseason swinging the bat well. Hopefully he can keep it going the next four days."

Kremer on issue with hand: "I cut under my fingernail, but it's fine. It's all good now. No, it didn't bother me."

Kremer on why he struggled: "I think I just left too many balls deeper in counts center-cut and they got hit."

Kremer on what he wants to improve on: "I've kind of got it planned out. Trying to get bigger, stronger, throw harder and sharpen the tools that I have over the next four months before we come back"

Kremer on rating four games: "I'm pretty happy as a whole. Three of them went well and tonight was what it was. I just didn't feel I could get anything by anyone, but I'm pretty happy with the way it went and I got to dip my toe in the water and I'm excited for next year.

Hays on team slump: "It's always tough when the offense and pitching staff aren't lining up. Just wash it and move on to the next game and try to finish strong here these last few games and have fun playing baseball."