Notes on Trumbo's hit, the new relievers and Vlad Guerrero

ARLINGTON, Texas - Mark Trumbo fondly remembers his first ever big league hit. It came on Oct. 3, 2010 in his last at-bat in the last game of the season. It came off Texas pitcher Mark Lowe in the same ballpark where last night Trumbo got his 1,000th hit, Globe Life Park. Trumbo had started his big league career 0-for-14, but then he singled to finish that season batting .067.

Trumbo was a September call-up that year for the Los Angeles Angels, his hometown team, who had drafted him in the 18th round in 2004. He finally made the bigs and finally got a hit. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get a second one.

"September call-up at that point with nothing guaranteed. I think in order to get some of these numbers, you've got to hang around for awhile. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to have enough at-bats to get 1,000," Trumbo said last night.

In the Orioles' 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, Trumbo began the game with 998 hits. He singled to right off lefty Mike Minor in the fifth. Two innings later, with Adam Jones on second and the Orioles behind 2-0, he lined a 3-2 fastball into center for the milestone hit, which also produced an RBI. And the Orioles only run.

"That is pretty cool. I actually like this one a little bit more than some of the other things I've done. Unfortunate that it didn't contribute to a win tonight, but it's pretty special to me," he said after becoming the 31st active player with at least 1,000 hits and 200 home runs.

He seemed to appreciate that the hit came on a single, and in a key spot where his team needed a hit to get on the board.

"I guess I've always kind of been known for the power-hitting-type stuff. I've always tried to be able to help the team and stay competitive. I know people don't care about the batting average, but it still matters. It's important. It was a two-strike hit today and it drove in a run. There's probably been a few of those throughout the way, and I guess 1,000 is just a nice round number," he said.

Trumbo has had 361 hits with the Orioles. He's also has 89 career hits against Texas, his most versus any team.

More on the new relievers: Neither right-hander Evan Phillips or righty Cody Carroll pitched on Saturday night. But both made nice impressions in Friday's game. In his first Orioles outing, Phillips retired all six batters he faced over two innings. He struck out three and needed just 25 pitches to get six outs. He threw 19 fastballs at 94 and 95 mph, five changeups at 88 mph and one slider. Then Carroll made his second O's appearance. After Phillips worked the fifth and sixth, Carroll threw a 1-2-3 seventh on 10 pitches, touching 97 mph.

Manager Buck Showalter enjoyed the strong games by both but cautioned that some challenges can't be too far away.

"I've told the players a lot. It's one thing to get an opportunity, it's another to take advantage of it. I guarantee those two guys will have some tough outings along the way. It's kind of like with Tanner (Scott). Tanner has struck out the side six times this year and has a 6.00 ERA. We know what he's capable of. His walk ratio has dropped each year. His strikeout total has gone up each year, '16, '17 and '18. It's there. I remember some tough conversations with Zach Britton when he wasn't getting anybody out. As a manager, you reach back for those memories of how this goes sometimes. But you have to trust the ability and, as important, trust the makeup. You are evaluating that too."

Guerrero honored: New Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero played for four teams in his career, the last two of which are here this weekend. He played in 2010 for Texas and in 2011 for the Orioles.

The Rangers have honored Guerrero this weekend, and he threw out the first pitch last night. Guerrero had a .318 average with 449 homers and 1496 RBIs in over 2,100 games with Montreal (1996-2003), the Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels (2004-09), Texas and Baltimore. He was a nine-time All-Star and captured eight Silver Slugger Awards while winning the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player Award with the Angels.

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was his teammate in Baltimore in 2011.

"It was good playing with him then," Jones said. "I miss his mom's cooking. He brought us big bags of food. He was the ultimate veteran. Commanded respect and got respect. Just a prime example of what to do between the lines. Came to work every day. It was a tremendous honor to be able to play with someone of that stature."

Like Guerrero, Orioles pitcher Yefry Ramírez, who will start today, is a native of the Dominican Republic. He has not yet met Guerrero but is a huge fan of the Hall of Famer from his native country.

"He sets an example for all the youth back home in the Dominican Republic and is someone I look up to. People look up to him because of his humility. When I was growing up he was one of the players I looked up to. He is a Hall of Famer and someone I really respect," Ramírez said through translater Ramón Alarcón.