Story by
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Twins win as Dean Kremer dominates former team
- Story byPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
- Twins win as Dean Kremer dominates former team
Final
Starting pitcher performance
Just 10 days after Baltimore dealt Dean Kremer to the Twins ahead of the trade deadline, the veteran starter turned in his best outing of the season against his former teammates.
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Facing the team that he had pitched for over parts of the past seven seasons, Kremer allowed just one hit and one run across seven innings, marking his longest outing of the season.
"I won't lie. There was definitely a little bit extra just because they know me," Kremer said. "I have to be even better. Then reminding myself, 'Hey, execute every pitch. One pitch at a time.' Go from there."
The one hit he gave up wasn't hit hard — just 52.6 mph off Jackson Holliday 's bat — and didn't travel far. It came in the fourth inning and shortly after, Holliday broke for second, getting himself caught in a rundown long enough to let shortstop Gunnar Henderson , who had walked earlier in the inning, score from third.
But that was all the Orioles could manage against Kremer, who struck out seven and allowed little hard contact in his first start as a Twin at Target Field. Since the trade, Kremer has now given up just two runs on four hits in 12 innings across two starts.
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"It's lights out. It's cool, especially like in a revenge game," designated hitter Josh Bell said. "First time seeing those guys and knowing their attacks, knowing their attack plan, and knowing their weaknesses. And he seemed like he exploited them pretty good."
Player of the game
Both Kremer and Austin Martin , who has had a tough go of it offensively of late, turned in standout performances.
Martin, who recorded his first career four-hit game Monday, got the Twins on the board in the third inning with his first home run since May 22.
That was one of three runs he scored. He also scored in the seventh inning as part of the Twins' five-run rally, and again in the eighth as part of a two-run inning.
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Martin finished a triple shy of the cycle.
"He started right from the jump and had really good at-bats and set the table from the start," manager Derek Shelton said.
Key moment
The Twins held an edge from the fourth inning onward after Kaelen Culpepper's sacrifice fly gave them a one-run lead that they held through the middle innings.
But they broke through in the seventh, an inning that began with an infield single from Ryan Kreidler and a bunt from Martin that catcher Carlos Narváez picked up and threw into right field.
That prompted the Orioles to bring the infield in, after which catcher Ryan Jeffers sent a single past a diving Henderson for a pair of runs. After the Twins' next two batters reached, Bell hit a three-run blast, breaking the game open.
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"Whether we're up one, whether we're down three, whatever, we're just going to keep on trying to put good ABs together," Jeffers said.
Up next
Bailey Ober (7-3, 4.45 ERA) will take the ball Tuesday in the second game of the series. He will be opposed by right-hander Brandon Young (8-3, 3.43 ERA).
