Has Britton done enough to make Tuesday's start?

The Orioles need a starter for Tuesday night's game in Minnesota, and left-hander Zach Britton did nothing tonight at Triple-A Norfolk to hurt his candidacy. Britton tossed seven scoreless innings against Lehigh Valley, allowing only four hits, walking none and striking out six. He threw 93 pitches, 64 for strikes. In his last five starts, Britton has permitted 10 earned runs and 24 hits over 32 innings, with 12 walks and 23 strikeouts. It's clear that his command has improved over the course of his Triple-A stay. Another point in Britton's favor, and it's a big one: He would be working on normal rest Tuesday if the Orioles recall him for the first time this season. Look for it to happen. In his last start in Charlotte, Britton allowed four runs and eight hits in eight innings. He held Syracuse to one earned run (two total) and three hits in six innings on July 1. Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman will start the three games against the Tigers at Camden Yards, and Miguel Gonzalez will start the series opener against the Twins in Minnesota. LJ Hoes reached on an infield single in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to 20 games. He scored on Lew Ford's sacrifice fly. Hoes added an RBI double in the fourth inning. Hoes now has the fourth-longest hitting streak in Tides history and is four shy of tying Gregg Jefferies' 24-game streak in 1988. In other news, Adam Jones is one of baseball's 30 preliminary winners of the 2012 Heart and Hustle Award, which honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game. The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) formed 30 committees, comprised of alumni players with established relationships to each team. One player from each team is chosen by the committees. Jones will be recognized prior to an upcoming home game. As the season draws to a close, fans, all alumni and active players will vote to select the final winner, which will be announced on Nov. 13 at the 13th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City. The 30 Individual Team Winners are as follows: American League Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones Boston Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia Chicago White Sox: Alex Rios Cleveland Indians: Jason Kipnis Detroit Tigers: Austin Jackson Kansas City Royals: Jeff Francoeur Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Mike Trout Minnesota Twins: Jamey Carroll New York Yankees: Curtis Granderson Oakland Athletics: Jonny Gomes Seattle Mariners: Munenori Kawasaki Tampa Bay Rays: Ben Zobrist Texas Rangers: David Murphy Toronto Blue Jays: Edwin Encarnacion National League Arizona Diamondbacks: Willie Bloomquist Atlanta Braves: Martin Prado Chicago Cubs: Darwin Barney Cincinnati Reds: Chris Heisey Colorado Rockies: Michael Cuddyer Miami Marlins: Jose Reyes Houston Astros: Jose Altuve Los Angeles Dodgers: Jerry Hairston Milwaukee Brewers: Corey Hart New York Mets: David Wright Philadelphia Phillies: Carlos Ruiz Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen San Diego Padres: Nick Hundley San Francisco Giants: Melky Cabrera St. Louis Cardinals: David Freese Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper