Limited roster moves, Schoop stays hot, Tigers not (O's down 6-5)

Still no word on whether a club has claimed Jimmy Paredes off waivers from the Orioles.

I've heard that they should know because it's after 1 p.m. I've also heard they won't find out until Monday.

It would be appropriate for news to break on the off-day. I'm still scarred from all of the medical updates during the last off-day.

By declining to put Paredes on the 25-man roster, the Orioles continue to limit their player moves as we've reached the middle of May.

Yovani Gallardo was placed on the disabled list and Brian Matusz was activated on April 23. Kevin Gausman came off the DL two days later and Ryan Flaherty was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

J.J. Hardy went on the DL May 3 and Flaherty was recalled. The Orioles selected Paul Janish's contract on May 7 and optioned T.J. McFarland, though he stuck around as the 26th man for the doubleheader before joining the Tides rotation.

McFarland is starting today and Paredes is playing third base.

Showalter knocked on the table in the auxiliary clubhouse when asked about the a roster that's undergone four changes.

"A lot of is because we're healthier," he said, fearing the dreaded jinx. "A lot of the moves last year, you can go right down the list. We didn't talk about it a whole lot, didn't get talked about it a lot in the offseason. We played a lot of the year without (Jonathan) Schoop, without Matt (Wieters), without (Adam) Jones some and Hardy. A lot of things we had to overcome with some of the pitchers. Probably will again.

"We talk about potential moves every day. I hope we stay with the same guys. We're not looking to do anything."

The Orioles fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning on Ian Kinsler's leadoff double and Miguel Cabrera's RBI single with one out, but they tied it in the bottom half on Joey Rickard's leadoff single and Jones' RBI double with one out.

Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer loaded the bases by walking Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo, and Schoop delivered a two-run single into left field to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.

Schoop didn't get back-to-back grand slams, but he's 20-for-60 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs and 14 RBIs in his last 17 games. He's collected seven RBIs in less than 24 hours.

Jones' ball cleared the head of left fielder Steven Moya, who hasn't looked comfortable tracking the ball at Camden Yards.

The Orioles finally scored a run within the first five innings of this series.

A loss today would lower the Tigers' record to 15-22. They're 2-11 this month and manager Brad Ausmus can hear the wolves howling at his door.

Showalter can sympathize, having been fired by the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers. This is a fraternity. Everybody hurts.

"Oh, yeah, of course you do," Showalter said. "We've all been there, will be again. It's the nature of the business. Brad's very intelligent, but a baseball guy. Not that intelligent people can't be a baseball guy. I had him. He was with the Yankees. The person that made us not protect him in the expansion draft, I still remember the conversation. We lost some good players.

"Brad, I respect how he's handling it. You don't take it personally. You do but you don't. It's the nature of the job. That's why not just anybody can do what Brad does. I watch the games here. He's putting everybody in the right positions. I'd do all the same things he's doing.

"You go through periods where the execution of what should happen doesn't happen. But he's part of their solution, not their problem. Trust me, he's good, and I wouldn't tell you that if I didn't think it. I'd just leave it alone."

Update: Gausman fell into trouble again in the second. Justin Upton led off with a single and scored on Moya's triple. The lead is down to 3-2 with no outs.

Update II: Ian Kinsler led off the fourth with a home run to tie the game 3-3.

Gausman had allowed two home runs in 25 innings before today. He's at 72 pitches through the fourth.

Update III: The Tigers went ahead 4-3 in the top of the fifth on Upton's double and James McCann's two-out single, but Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the bottom half to give the Orioles a 5-4 lead.

Machado and Trumbo are tied for the team lead in home runs with 11.

The Tigers are going to their bullpen. You've been warned.

Gausman has allowed four runs and 10 hits in five innings, with two walks, one strikeout, a home run and a hit batter. He's thrown 98 pitches, 61 for strikes, and Mychal Givens continues to warm.

Update IV: Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera hit back-to-back two-out home runs off Darren O'Day in the eighth to give Detroit a 6-5 lead.

O'Day struck out the first two batters and thought he struck out Martinez. First base umpire Mark Wegner ruled that Martinez checked his swing. Two pitches later, the Tigers had the lead.

This is only the second time in 17 appearances that O'Day has been scored upon.