vs. MARINERS, 5/18

Baltimore Orioles (23-13, T-1st, +5.0) vs. Seattle Mariners (22-16, 1st +1.0)

Streak / L10

BAL: -2, Lost 2 of 3 / L10: 7-3

SEA: +1, Lost 3 of 4 / L10: 5-5

NEW: Quality Start minimum requirements

- 6 IP, 2ER

- 7 IP, 3ER

- Game ERA must be under four

Game 2 (7:05)

(QS=4)Chris Tillman (5-1) 2.58 (1.17/.217), 47/18 (1HR)

vs.

(QS=4)Taijuan Walker (2-2) 2.63 (1.09/.240), 38/6 (4HR)

Chris Tillman: Tillman has pitched well in five straight starts with four of them being quality, but he has walked 10 batters in 20.1 May innings. However, he has also struck out 23 batters and allowed only four runs in those innings. Tillman is, once again, undefeated against his opponent as he is 6-0 career against the M's and also 4-0 at home in 2016. I gotta say, I didn't expect Tillman to come out of the gates like this, but he has been very impressive through his first eight starts of the season.

Splits & Sits

92 vs. left: .256/.337/.337

89 vs. right: .177/.270/.213, HR

Bases Empty: .247

RISP: .227

RISP w/2 outs: .313

Men on w/2 outs: .231

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .667

2016 Home (6 starts)

(4-0) 1.89 (1.17/.209)

Career vs. SEA (8 starts)

(6-0) 2.98 (1.01/.206), 5HR

vs. Batter

Adam Lind (33 AB) .303, 2RBI

Robinson Cano (31 AB) .452, 2B, 2HR, 8RBI

Kyle Seager (15 AB) .200, 2B, RBI, 2BB

Nelson Cruz (11 AB) .182, 2HR, 2RBI, 3BB

Leonys Martin 2/7, RBI

Seth Smith 3/7

Norichika Aoki 1/4, 2B

Chris Ianetta 0/2, BB

Taijuan Walker: After tossing four quality starts in April where he allowed only four earned in 25 innings and had a FB/GB ratio of 40/30, he has yet to put one up in three May starts with a ratio of 18/22 having allowed seven earned in 12.2 innings though he left one of them after two innings with neck spasms. He has also allowed three home runs over his last two starts after allowing only one in the previous 30 innings spanning five starts. In his last start, he was cruising through five innings, but was tagged with a grand slam in the sixth which ended his night. He's not walking a whole lot of people and has 38Ks in 37.2 innings. Walker has not done well in very limited innings against the Orioles with the worst of them coming at Camden Yards. This Walker may be a bit better than the one who allowed those numbers, so we'll see how this one goes for him.

Splits & Sits

80 vs. left: .151/.213/.263, 3HR

76 vs. right: .329/.347/.434, HR

Bases Empty: .225

RISP: .290

RISP w/2 outs: .267

Men on w/2 outs: .240

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .600

2016 Away (2 starts)

(1-1) 1.13 (0.63/.172), 2HR

Career @ Camden Yards (1 start)

(0-0) 3.2 IP, 7H, 4ER, 4BB

Career vs Baltimore (2 starts)

(0-0) 5.59 (1.76/.300)

vs. Batter

Adam Jones 1/6

Manny Machado 1/5, BB

Jonathan Schoop 1/3, 2RBI

Caleb Joseph 1/3, RBI

Chris Davis 1/2, 3BB

Nolan Reimold 0/2

Matt Wieters 1/2

Well, it finally happened. The Orioles have run into a team that is actually good, knows how to hit, knows how to win and throws a quality pitcher at us all at the same time. Miley has been very good for Seattle over the last four starts. He continued that here and the Orioles couldn't touch him after having an opportunity in the first inning. The Orioles could only get two hits off of him to go with the three walks most of which came in the first inning. The sizzling M's offense didn't allow Jimenez to get away with his lack of control and hit him hard and the same went for Matusz who was equally awful giving up the three run bomb as soon as he came in the game and the M's end up winning 10-0. To add insult to injury, an absolute joke of a replay call in the ninth that cost the Orioles an out. It probably wouldn't have mattered, but it sure does make the replay system look like a complete joke when crap like that goes down. The call was obviously wrong.

With this pitching matchup, Tillman just has to be the favorite until he crumbles or shows some sign of weakness which he hasn't done yet. Even without his best stuff, he still is finding ways to get the job done. Walker has pitched well so far this season for Seattle despite the recent rough stretch and the last start was the result of one bad pitch at a bad time. This should be a good one if tonight's offensive showing is any indication. The Mariners are good and suddenly, the Orioles have lost two in a row.

Around the AL, the Royals were able to beat Boston 8-4 which keeps us tied for first place while the Rays sit five games back having won two in a row while the Jays have lost four in a row. The White Sox have lost two in a row which has allowed the Indians to pull to within four games of the lead there, but they have tied up their game against Houston in the ninth and are heading to extras. Texas is up 3-2 in the top of the fifth and must win to remain tied with Seattle for the lead in the West. Meanwhile, the Angels have won four in a row and are currently in a 1-1 tie with the Dodgers in the bottom of the fourth.

Whenever I post these, they are from Britt Ghiroli's facebook page.

Now its raining . . . . .

Good start for Tilly.

Good start!

Walker has struggled a bit of late. Nothing gets a pitcher back on track like Oriole batters.

Good swing, Manny.

Damn!!! :angryfire::cussing:

Aye Caramba?!

Almost,but ball seems to be dying to left.

Seems like Davis took one right down the pipe for strike three then looked back at the umpire... Im not sure what Davis saw but it looked almost center cut.

Tip his hat to the Mariners.

Big strike zone.

Big K Chris.

The lateral edges of this ump's zone seem a bit amorphous so far tonight.