Tillman Fires Orioles to 4-1 Victory
Chris Tillman was able to build off of his fantastic start in New York last Sunday by throwing 8 strong innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 run (and striking out 2 batters) against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night. The good pitching performance now gives Tillman four consecutive quality starts. The Orioles starter also cut out his biggest problem area as of late. Coming into Friday night’s game, Tillman issued 27 walks (compared to 25 strikeouts) over his last 10 starts. Tillman only gave up 1 walk in the game against Tampa.
While the Baltimore Orioles won the game, it was the Rays that scored first. James Loney hit a solo home run to put Tampa on the board in the top of the 2nd inning. With Nick Markakis being utilized as the designated hitter in the game, the fence-scraper hit by Loney landed just beyond the reach of Nelson Cruz in deep right field.
J.J. Hardy poked an opposite-field single into right field with one out in the bottom of the 2nd inning. David Lough followed with a single of his own. With two runners on base, Nick Hundley stepped up to the plate and dropped an RBI single into left field to tie the game at 1-1. Hundley entered the game on a 6 for 32 (.188) slump over his previous 10 games. Baltimore was able to load the bases in the inning; however, they could only score the one run in the frame.
Oriole center fielder Adam Jones led off the bottom half of the 3rd inning with a bloop single. Jones was able to advance to second base after Nelson Cruz hit into a fielder’s choice and Chris Davis walked to give the Orioles runners on first and second for the second consecutive inning. Nonetheless, Baltimore failed to score any runs in the inning, which meant that the Birds would leave runners on base for the third straight inning of the game.
The multi-hit game for Jones meant that the three-time All-Star outfielder has now collected two or more hits in five of his last seven games played.
Baltimore was once again able to get runners on base in the bottom of the 5th inning. Manny Machado reached first base on a walk to lead off the frame, followed by another single by Jones. After a strikeout by Cruz, Davis was also issued a free pass to load the bases for the Birds. However, much like the 3rd inning, the Orioles could not take advantage of getting runners in scoring position and fail to score in the frame.
Through the first five innings of the game, Baltimore left nine runners on base and was 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
The tie was broken in the bottom of the 6th inning, as Hundley smashed a solo home run deep into the left field seats to lead off the frame. The solo shot was Hundley’s first home run as an Oriole, and his second RBI on the night. Machado drew a walk with two outs in the inning, but was later picked off first base on a questionable (and unsuccessfully challenged) call.
Jones picked up his fourth hit in the game, with a double into right field to lead off the bottom of the 7th inning. With another runner in scoring position, Cruz stepped up and hit an opposite field two-run home run to extend Baltimore’s lead to 4-1. The homer by Cruz now gives the outfielder/designated hitter the league lead in home runs (25) and RBIs (66).
Tillman (8 innings pitched) and Zach Britton (threw the final frame) were able to shut down Tampa without giving up any further runs in the game. The 4-1 win for Baltimore puts them back into second place in the American League East standings.
The two Eastern Division foes will be back on the field at 4:05 pm on Saturday for game three of the four-game series at Camden Yards. The Orioles will send Wei-Yin Chen (7-2, 3.84 ERA) to the mound, while the Rays will counter with former Oriole starter Erik Bedard (3-5, 4.25 ERA).
