Another slow start for Orioles (Rays lead 4-2, Tillman done)

The Orioles hadn't allowed a run in the first inning before last night. Now they can't stop doing it. Desmond Jennings led off last night's game with a home run. Kelly Johnson, the second batter tonight, homered to right field. I guess that's progress. Johnson has gone deep in back-to-back games. He hadn't faced Chris Tillman until tonight. All three outs recorded by Tillman came on fly balls to right fielder Nick Markakis. I'm not sure of the significance, but that's what happened. Of the 38 runs allowed by Tillman last season, 16 scored in the first inning. He hadn't permitted a run in the first this season until Johnson's homer. He gave up one in the second and six in the third. Tillman is 1-3 with a 4.78 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays. He's 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in four starts at Camden Yards. Tillman has allowed 43 home runs in his career, with 29 being solo shots. Nick Markakis singled in the bottom of the first inning. He has a hit in 12 of the 14 games this season. Matt Wieters singled with two outs, making him 6-for-9 against Rays left-hander Matt Moore. He's 5-for-11 against southpaws this season. Chris Davis flied to the edge of the center field warning track to strand both runners. Update: Shelley Duncan homered off Tillman with one out in the second to increase Tampa Bay's leads to 2-0. Duncan has two homers this season, both against the Orioles. He connected off former reliever Luis Ayala at Tropicana Field. Tillman threw 32 pitches in the first two innings. Nolan Reimold struck out to end the second inning, making Orioles designated hitters 3-for-44. Update II: Adam Jones hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game, 2-2. Umpires at first ruled it a double, but changed the call after reviewing the play. The ball cleared the fence in front of the Orioles' bullpen and bounced back onto the field. Jones has two home runs this season. Tonight's shot produced the first runs off Moore this season. Update III: Tillman has thrown 77 pitches in four innings, and the Rays lead 4-2. James Loney doubled to score two runs, the ball skipping past Jones as he charged it and tried to play the short hop. No error was given on the play, but it should have been a single. Evan Longoria led off with a double and Shelley Duncan singled with one out and advanced to second on Jones' throw to the plate. Longoria held at third. Hit the cutoff man and Duncan stays at first. Tillman gave up two doubles and a single, and he walked a batter. Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland was warming in the bullpen, but he sat down after Desmond Jennings grounded out. Tillman has allowed four runs and five hits in four innings, with two walks, four strikeouts and a balk. Down on the farm, Freddy Garcia has allowed one run and three hits in seven innings at Gwinnett, with no walks and three strikeouts. Update IV: Tillman allowed four runs and six hits in five innings - yes, another Orioles starter went five innings - with two walks, six strikeouts, two home runs and one balk. He threw 93 pitches, 52 for strikes. McFarland is pitching the sixth inning, as manager Buck Showalter again has to go to his bullpen earlier than desired. Tillman will remain winless in three starts. He's allowed 11 runs and 19 hits in 14 innings. Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing a call at second base. Matt Wieters threw out Kelly Johnson trying to steal. Maddon thought Johnson was safe. You know who won that argument. Wieters has thrown out six of seven runners attempting to steal this season. Down on the farm, Garcia allowed one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings, with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 96 pitches, 62 for strikes.