Chris Tillman talks about his strong outing against Pittsburgh

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman's steady progress toward what will likey be another opening day start for the Orioles continued today at Ed Smith Stadium.

In was his third start of the spring and his third good one, as he went four innings against the Pirates. The right-hander allowed four hits and one run with no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 65 pitches, 43 for strikes.

"Thought it was really good, actually," Tillman said outside the O's clubhouse. "Fastball command was really good. Changeup got better as the game went, cutter was really good. Curveball got better as the game went on, so I think it was good, both out of the windup and the stretch."

Tillman pitched around Steve Lombardozzi's one-out double in the first, allowed a run in the second, went 1-2-3 in the third with two strikeouts and stranded two runners in his final inning. The Bucs scored in the second when Jordy Mercer led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a grounder and came home on Elias Diaz's sac fly.

Tillman said he was not working on any specific pitches today.

"No, it was go off the game, how the game was," he said. "The fastball command was there for me but I wanted to throw how I would normally pitch in a game and it was good."

Tillman has now pitched nine spring innings, counting three where he was dominant against the Puerto Rico development team last Saturday. He has allowed just one run on five hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts.

What is left for him to accomplish during camp?

"Keep doing the same thing," he said. "Keep building the pitch count up a little bit. Got to get up there close to 100 here by the end. Was able to get 60 (actually 65) in the game and came down and threw 12, 15 more in the bullpen. Just have to get the pitch count up a little bit more."

Tillman said he was waiting to hear the schedule that will be set up for him for the rest of spring training.

"I think after this one we have to sit down and try and schedule our guys out," he said. "That goes for everyone, not just me. Kind of up in the air right now. We'll find out, I think tomorrow."