Chris Tillman Gets His 9th Win As The Orioles Beat The Red Sox

Quite a pitchers duel last night in Fenway with two of the best pitchers in the league facing off. David Price was really, really, really good. He looked nearly unhittable, except for a few pitches he hung. Manny Machado had a two-run home run in the first inning, then in the 8th inning Jonathan Schoop hit one OVA DA MONSTAHHHHH that still hasn’t landed. In the end, Price went 8 innings, gave up 5 hits, 3 ER, 0 walks, and 11 Ks. Absolutely dominating at times, but just not good enough.

Chris Tillman out-dueled the 9 trillion dollar man, going 7 innings, 5 hits, 1 ER, 2 walks, and 5 Ks, and most importantly, he got the win in the 3-2 ballgame. With that victory Tillman improved to 9-1 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.87. I don’t want to think what the Orioles rotation would look like this season without Tillman. He got his 9th win on June 14th, last year he didn’t get his 9th win until August 17th. What a difference a year makes. Also, that win puts the O’s at 26-16 at Camden North since the beginning of the 2012 season.

Tillman’s been absolutely great this season, and likely will be representing the O’s on the All-Star team in San Diego. This is the rebound the Orioles needed from Tillman after his disaster of a season last year. In 2015 Tillman was 11-11 with an ERA over 2 runs higher than this season, 4.99 last year compared to 2.87 this season. He’s starting to go deeper into games and striking out batters at a rate he never has before, 8.7 per 9 IP. Tillman is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Birds at the top of their rotation, now if they can just find a couple more guys to sling it with some sort of constancy alongside Tillman and Gausman.

And don’t look now, but the Orioles are on pace to break the record for home runs in June. 32 homers in 13 games so far, and they still have 17 games left this month. That record of 58 may get broken by a bakers dozen. Even with the series loss to the Blue Jays, and the low scoring game yesterday, the offense is producing, almost 6.5 runs per game this month. Once that weather in Baltimore gets warmer, the bats start to come alive, balls will be flying off the bats.

1 game lead over Boston with Kevin Gausman facing off against Steven Wright, let’s hope the O’s bats can figure out that knuckleball this time around.

PS. J.J. Hardy made a rehab start today in Bowie, had 2 singles, could be back very soon. Yovani Gallardo will be making his first start since coming off the DL on Saturday against Toronto. And our prayers have been answered, Ubaldo Jimenez will be heading to the bullpen, and will not start for the Orioles anymore, lettuce pray that he can hide out there, and not screw this season up anymore than he already has.

PPS.  The Orioles only need 32 more wins to tie Sports Illustrated’s prediction for them this year!