Adam Jones on a big series, Chris Tillman on rejoining rotation

DETROIT - Orioles center fielder Adam Jones sounds rather excited about the big weekend series against the Detroit Tigers that starts tonight at Comerica Park.

As the series begins, the Orioles are two games out in the American League East and lead Detroit by one game for the second AL wild card spot.

"It starts with the first pitch tonight," Jones said. "We have to be focused from the first pitch to the last pitch the rest of the year. Every inning, every pitch is important. That is the focus we need in our dugout, our organization and our fanbase.

"Everything we've done the whole time from spring training on culminates now. The main thing I wanted was to enter Sept. 1 with a shot. It's Sept. 9 and we have a very good shot. Let's continue grinding it out.

"It's a team effort, not an individual effort. We'll lean on every last player to get the job done. It's not going to be easy seeing a lot of AL East teams. And this weekend we play the Tigers, who play like an American League East team. If we take of our personal business, we'll be fine. If we start to worry about other people and scoreboard watch, that is when we get off track."

Jones said his hamstring is fine heading into this series.

"I'm good, yeah," he said.

The Orioles will get back a 15-game winner for the series finale here on Sunday afternoon when right-hander Chris Tillman (15-5, 3.76 ERA) re-enters the rotation. His last start was Aug. 20 and he's been on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis.

Tillman was asked how he will know if that injury is behind him on Sunday. He said one good sign in recent days has been that he has felt the good the day after throwing bullpen sessions.

"That was the thing," he said. "It didn't really bother me when I was pitching, it was kind of post (start, in the following days). That is what we wanted to get out of these bullpens is how I felt the day after and the next day, and so far, it's been good. I've felt good in both my bullpens so far. So I've felt good about it."

Tillman said he has not been told yet about whether he will be on a pitch count for that game. But he's pretty sure, without having made any rehab starts, that he will have to knock off some rust on Sunday.

"I'm sure there will be," Tillman said. "But that is what we've been working on in the bullpens. That is why we've had two or three bullpens. Have had time to work on it. Trying to knock off that rust in the bullpen and come out ready go to."