Dean Kremer pitched six scoreless innings and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday.
Austin Hays had two hits and drove in what proved to be the winning run for Baltimore, which took two of three games from division-leading Tampa Bay.
Kremer (4-1) allowed four hits and walked two while striking out four. Yennier Cano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save and has pitched 18 2/3 innings this season without allowing a run.
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the sixth. Adley Rutschman singled, Anthony Santander doubled and Ryan Mountcastle walked on a pitch-clock violation by Yonny Chirinos (1-1) to load the bases with no outs. Adam Frazier grounded into a force play at second to score Rutschman and Hays singled to left, scoring Santander.
In the Tampa Bay eighth, Yandy Diaz doubled with one out against Austin Voth. Wander Franco singled to center, and the Baltimore lead was cut to 2-1. Danny Coulombe replaced Voth and Randy Arozarena pinch hit for Brandon Lowe. Coulombe struck out Arozarena and then Harold Ramirez to end the inning.
Mountcastle walked leading off the eighth inning for Baltimore. He went to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a groundout. Hays lined out and, after an intentional walk to Gunnar Henderson, Jorge Mateo popped out.
Frazier doubled with one out in the Baltimore second and went to third on a wild pitch, but Rays opener Jalen Beeks retired the next two batters.
The Orioles put runners on first and second with two outs in the third before Chirinos got Santander to fly out.
Ramirez and Luke Raley singled with one out in the Tampa Bay fourth, but Kremer induced a double-play grounder from Isaac Paredes.
The Rays got singles from Josh Lowe and Christian Bethancourt to open the fifth. Kremer battled back, striking out Jose Siri and Diaz before Franco lined out.
Chirinos allowed two runs on five hits and four walks over five innings. He fanned one.
–Field Level Media