Chris Tillman allows eight runs as Texas rolls (quotes added)

ARLINGTON, Texas - When Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman faced the Texas Rangers in Baltimore last week, he gave up two hits and one run over six innings. But it was very different for Tillman and his team tonight.

After pitching to an ERA of 3.31 his past three starts, Tillman tonight got torched for nine hits and eight runs over 4 1/3 innings as the Rangers hammered the Orioles 8-2 in front of 36,270 at steamy Globe Life Park.

Tillman hasn't won since his season debut on May 7. He falls to 1-6 with an ERA of 7.65. He walked two and fanned six, throwing 101 pitches. The eight runs allowed is one shy of his career high.

In losing four straight from July 17-20 in Baltimore, Texas was outscored 34-11. They almost matched that four-game run total tonight. Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre had two RBI singles in the win to move to within two career hits of 3,000.

Entering tonight with a first-inning ERA of 10.38, Tillman fell behind 2-0 three batters into this game. He walked leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo on a 3-2 pitch and Elvis Andrus singled. Then No. 3 hitter Nomar Mazara drove a 1-1 fastball into the gap in right-center to score both runners. Mazara doubled three times tonight. Tillman threw 32 pitches in the last of the first.

Andrus hit a two-run homer to left in the third for a 4-0 lead that became 5-0 on Beltre's first RBI single of the night.

Texas knocked Tillman out during a three-run fifth to open an 8-0 lead. Beltre singled in another run with career hit No. 2,998. Carlos Gomez delivered a two-run single off reliever Richard Bleier, with both runs charged to Tillman.

Right-hander Andrew Cashner was blanking the Orioles on four singles through 5 2/3 innings when Jonathan Schoop blasted his 23rd home run. Schoop, the team homer leader, hit a pitch 423 feet to left.

Schoop now has an RBI in 10 of the last 11 games. In that stretch, he is 16-for-44 with five homers and 19 RBIs. He began the night third in the American League and tied for 10th in the major leagues with 72 RBIs. Chris Davis singled in a run in the eighth to complete the scoring.

The Orioles fall to six games under the .500 mark - one shy of a season-low point of seven under - at 48-54. They are 18-33 on the road and 1-7 in this park since 2015. The Orioles have lost three in a row since taking the series opener Monday at Tropicana Field. The Rangers (50-52) are 5-2 since they got swept in Baltimore.

In the second game of this series in oppressive Arlington, where tonight's gametime temperature was 99 degrees, right-hander Kevin Gausman (7-7, 5.79 ERA) faces right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx (3-0, 4.53 ERA).

Postgame quotes

Manager Buck Showalter on Tillman's continuing first inning issues: "It's been the case with him for a while. You've usually got to get him early. There's a lot of starting pitchers like that. Chris really just hasn't gotten on the horse after the first inning too much. Because we have a history with him, we keep looking for that. Tonight, he wasn't able to do it."

Showalter on another Schoop homer: "Jon has been a very consistent player and he's finally kind of graduated where you trust him in higher spots in the batting order. Jon hasn't missed a beat since the All-Star game. You always worry about young players when they get that type of recognition, how it might affect them. Jon's picked up right where he left off. We're real proud of him, he's playing well on both sides of the ball and he's playing like an All-Star is supposed to."

Tillman said he has had starts before where his command was shaky early but got locked in, but tonight was not one: "It's not that uncommon. For a second there I'd get it and then it would kind of get away from me, a couple of bad pitches. Then get back on track and get away from me again. Just inconsistent all around."

Tillman was asked about shaking his arm during the start, was it bothering him?: "My arm was good. I had the full-body cramps going on, but other than that, my arm felt great. Physically it felt good, just cramping here and there."

Catcher Welington Castillo on Tillman getting his command for a few batters and then losing it again: "I know something was going on with him, he just didn't want to tell me. I know he was battling out there, it was really hot. I don't blame nobody, he's trying to compete out there and do his best. I know there's something going on with him but he didn't tell me. It's one of those days, your whole body cramps or whatever it is. You are fighting your body to try to do your best and try to make pitches."

Castillo more on Tillman: "I think he had it for an inning and then another one doesn't have it. Physically, I see something like when he's trying to run or jumping, grabbing his legs, so I have a pretty good idea about the way he moves and the way he pitches. I just asked him between innings, are you OK? He said yes. I got to trust him because he's the one who knows how he feels."

Castillo on trade talk, has it been hard on the players?: "It's hard but that's part of the business. I have stuff to do. I don't worry about that. I just control what can I control. Honestly if you start pay attention to the rumors and if your name is in the rumors you can't control that. You just got to come here everyday and prepare the best you can to win the games. If it happens, it happens."

The trade: After tonight's game, the Orioles announced the acquisiton of right-handed starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson from the Phillies. Hellickson was acquired for outfielder Hyun Soo Kim, Double-A Bowie left-hander Garrett Cleavinger and international signing bonus slots.

Hellickson was scratched from tonight's start. He's 6-5 with a 4.73 ERA 1.255 WHIP in 20 starts and has struck out 65 batters in 112 1/3 innings. He is signed through the end of this year.

Read more on the trade here.