O's game blog: Dylan Bundy makes second-half debut

After getting a quality start and a win in well-pitched game last night, the Orioles shoot for two in a row tonight. Chris Tillman allowed one run over six innings in last night's 3-1 win over Texas.

Tillman was pitching on 16 days' rest last night, and right-hander Dylan Bundy (8-8, 4.33 ERA) will be pitching on 11 days' rest tonight since his last start on July 6 at Minnesota.

Bundy had a 3.05 ERA after his June 9 start against the Yankees. But in five starts since that game he is 2-3 with an 8.53 ERA. His ERA was 5.93 in five starts in June and is 11.00 in two starts this month. He has pitched five innings or fewer in five of his past seven starts. He did not do that one time in his first 11 starts.

Bundy has gone 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 11 career innings versus Texas, with two walks and 10 strikeouts in his first three games. On Aug. 2, 2016 at Oriole Park, he tossed seven shutout innings, allowing one hit - a career low in a Bundy start - with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Right-hander Tyson Ross (2-1, 5.33 ERA) will make his sixth start for Texas. He has allowed a .182 average against in his last three games. His last outing was July 8 versus the Angels. He gave up one run over 5 2/3 innings. The Rangers are 3-2 in his starts.

Ross, the brother of Nationals pitcher Joe Ross, has a 14.40 first-inning ERA. He has also allowed nine hits in 20 at-bats (.450) when pitching with runners in scoring position over his five starts. He is 0-2 with a 17.10 ERA in 10 career innings against Baltimore.

The Rangers (45-47) are 6-6 in July and 18-15 since June 9, the sixth-best record in the American League since that date. The Orioles (43-49) picked up their first win of the second half last night and are 26-19 at home.

AL team home run leaders:
153 - Houston
139 - Texas, Tampa Bay
135 - New York
132 - Oakland
127 - Orioles

The Orioles' second-round draft pick, prep infielder Adam Hall, from Canada, made his pro debut in the Gulf Coast League yesterday. He went 3-for-4 with a triple. Today he went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI in the GCL Orioles' 10-7 win over the Red Sox. Outfielder Lamar Sparks, the O's fifth-round pick, went 3-for-4 and is batting .290.