Clubhouse comments after the Orioles beat Seattle

After a long day and a blown lead, getting the win was rather important for the Orioles.

J.J. Hardy, batting just .190 at gametime, singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning as the Orioles beat Seattle 5-4 after an early 4-0 lead turned into a 4-4 tie.

"We needed that," Hardy said. "To get the series win, that was a big game for us, we felt it. It was a long game, had to mentally stay focused. Kept reminded myself to stay focused."

His hit scored Chris Davis, who slid in ahead of the tag. What did Hardy think of Davis' slide?

"I need to take a look at it. He's been talking to me about it. How athletic it was," Hardy said with a laugh.

After missing the first month with a left shoulder strain, Hardy is feeling physically better now, but he is still not completely comfortable at the plate.

"(Shoulder feels) good," he said. "That first week I came back felt like spring training all over again, and my whole body was sore, but everything feels good now.

"It's nice to get hits when you are feeling like I feel right now. Every day I am making adjustments. You know, one day I go up there with a different stance. Just trying to feel good. Good to get hits when you are not feeling great."

Like Hardy, Steve Pearce was under the Mendoza line, hitting .193 when the game started much earlier in the day. But he hit his first career grand slam in the last of the first.

"Feels great, considering the way I've been swinging the bat lately," Pearce said. "Hopefully this gets me started. Huge win for our club. We won a series and now we need to bring the momentum on the road. A huge knock by J.J. He needed that too. We had to find a way to stay loose (during the rain delay). Our pitchers did a great job keeping us in the game so we could pull it out at the end."

Chris Tillman started on the mound for the Orioles. He gave up one run over three innings but did not return after the 2 hour, 5 minute delay.

"It was a weird day all around," he said. "A 12:30 start. Told it was not going to start until 1or 1:30, and then we started at 12:45. It was weird, but we were able to overcome that and it was a good team win. It was a good series win. Especially with the circumstances of the day.

"I kind of knew around the hour point (I would not return). That's kind of a rule. But I did my best to stay ready, mentally and physically. If it was me, I'd go back out but nothing you can do with a delay that long."

Tillman's start was pushed back a few days due to lower back spasms. His back was no issue today, he said.

"No, nothing. Felt good physically," he said.

Tommy Hunter got the win on the mound, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. That inning included an intentional walk to Nelson Cruz with runners on first and third and two outs. The walk put two runners, instead of one, into scoring position, but Hunter felt it was the right decision Hunter.

"You got a base open and you have arguably the best player in baseball and you don't want to get beat by their best player right now," he said. "I don't find anything wrong with it. Don't think anyone else did either, except maybe Mariners fans who wanted to see him hit, but you take it out of his control."