Kremer pitches 6 shutout innings and Santander hits a grand slam to help Orioles sweep Reds

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dean Kremer pitched six shutout innings, Anthony Santander hit his third career grand slam and the Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game series sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with an 11-1 victory Sunday.

Jordan Westburg hit a two-run homer and Ryan McKenna added a solo shot for the Orioles, who have won four straight games and six of their last seven.

Kremer (3-2) retired the first 13 batters he faced until Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled with one out in the fifth. The Reds managed only one hit and a walk in Kremer's six innings. He struck out six.

Orioles starting pitchers were dominant in the three-game series. Cole Irvin pitched six shutout innings on Friday and John Means blanked the Reds through seven Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Reds' offense continues to sputter. They have scored just two runs in their last 36 innings played in Great American Ball Park. The Reds are batting a major-league worst .209 as a team.

The Orioles handed Kremer an early lead with a two-out rally in the first. After Nick Lodolo (3-1) retired the first two batters, Ryan Mountcastle doubled and scored on Santander's single. Westburg followed with a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, to make it 3-0.

Adley Rutschman doubled to drive in the Orioles' fourth run in the fifth. McKenna's solo homer off Brett Suter made it 5-0 in the seventh.

Santander's grand slam came in the ninth off Emilio Pagan. It was his first grand slam since Aug. 1, 2023, at Toronto.

It's the third series sweep this season for the Orioles, who last swept the Reds in Baltimore in 2014. It was their first series sweep in Cincinnati.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) began a throwing program Sunday.

Reds: 3B Jeimer Candelario (bruised left shin) was scratched from the lineup after fouling a ball off his leg. ... OF TJ Friedl (right wrist fracture) made his fourth rehab appearance Sunday at Triple-A Louisville. It's possible he could return for the Arizona series, which begins Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Corbin Burnes (3-1, 2.61) starts Tuesday's series opener at Washington.

Reds: Begin a three-game series against Arizona on Tuesday. Cincinnati had yet to announce a starter for the opener.

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