When Dean Kremer left the mound for the final time Wednesday, two things became apparent. The first one relates directly to the Orioles right-handed pitcher, who, through the course of two outings against the best teams in baseball, rediscovered the form that made Kremer a breakout rotation arm last year.

The second comes through a wider lens, zooming out to look at all nine players as they jogged off the field — all 26 players, in the dugout and in the bullpen, too. This is an Orioles team that just played six games against the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays in the span of six days. And this Orioles team, with the help of two resurgent starts from Kremer, finished with an even split.

Kremer navigated six scoreless innings in Baltimore’s 2-1 victory against the Rays at Camden Yards on Wednesday, propelling the Orioles to their eighth series win in their last nine attempts. Across his last 12 innings, Kremer has allowed just one run on 10 hits, leaving the unsteady ways of his early season appearances in the past.

In all six of these games against the only two teams with a better record than the Orioles, Baltimore played close, competitive baseball.

“I know you guys talked to us a lot in spring training about expectations,” outfielder Austin Hays said. “We were expecting this from ourselves, to come in and have a chance to win every night. I think we’ve grown a lot the last couple years. We’ve learned how to win these tight games, minimize some of the damage and just continue to fight, and now we’re coming out on the other side of these games that we were losing last year. We’ve kind of turned that page, and I think that’s what good teams do.”

Baltimore’s pitching staff was taxed entering Atlanta on the back of three high-scoring games against the Kansas City Royals. But it regrouped to steal the first game over the Braves before dropping the final two games in Atlanta by one run apiece. The Orioles were then held scoreless in a series-opening defeat to the Rays.

But the Orioles scratched out wins to claim a series from the top team in the major leagues — let alone the top American League East club — through two superior starts from their young hurlers and just enough timely hitting. First it was the best start of right-hander Grayson Rodriguez’s young career, and then Kremer and the bullpen held down the rubber match win.

“I think we’re doing a decent job,” Kremer said with a chuckle when asked whether these two series plant Baltimore firmly among MLB’s top teams. “One, we stole one from the Braves at their place and took two from the Rays at our place. We’re just trying to build off that and continue that for the rest of the season.”

That pitching has helped cover for a lineup that hasn’t fired on all cylinders against top-tier opponents. In their last five games, including Wednesday, the Orioles have hit just 5-for-47 with runners in scoring position.

Hays, though, came through when Baltimore needed him, punching a single through the infield after Adam Frazier plated the first run with a fielder’s choice. Still, Baltimore could’ve tacked on, but Jorge Mateo and Ryan O’Hearn popped and flew out to strand bases loaded.

The pitching staff, led by Kremer’s six stout innings, meant more runs weren’t necessary. Kremer threw his third quality start this year, although it’s only Baltimore’s ninth in 37 games. He reared back to throw his four-seam fastball about 1 mph faster than he has throughout this season, and he used it to good effect in the fifth.

Kremer allowed consecutive singles before striking out two and forcing Rays shortstop Wander Franco to line out to Hays in left field. And in the sixth, Kremer threw the fastest pitch of his career at 97.5 mph as he retired the side in order.

“His velo seems like it’s really started to get up there,” Hays said. “Seen a lot of guys late on his heater. The ball’s jumping out of his hand, everything’s really tight. It’s been great. I love our pitching staff. I love playing defense behind them.”

The offensive breakthrough in the bottom half of the frame left Kremer in line for the win, and manager Brandon Hyde handed the reins to right-hander Austin Voth. In his second inning of work, Franco’s RBI single narrowed the score to one run.

But Hyde called on left-hander Danny Coulombe, making his first appearance since allowing a two-run homer to Kevin Pillar over the weekend in a loss to the Braves. With a runner on base, Coulombe struck out Randy Arozarena and Harold Ramirez with a series of breaking balls. As he left the mound, Coulombe unleashed a wide-mouthed yell before handing the mound to Yennier Cano to earn the save.

It was the yell of a pitching staff that answered the beck and call, arriving in force when the Orioles needed them. Having faced the two best teams in baseball, Baltimore proved it belongs right in that mix.

“For this team to have success,” Hyde said, “we need to pitch. And these last six games, we’ve thrown the ball outstanding.”

andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com