Schoop on All-Star experience (O's down 9-2)

The Orioles continue to bat Jonathan Schoop third, with his 18th start coming tonight against the Cubs at Camden Yards.

It seems to agree with him.

Schoop is hitting .299/.351/.507 with two doubles, four home runs and nine RBIs in 67 at-bats. He enters tonight's game with a .296/.347/.537 slash line with 24 doubles, 18 home runs, 54 RBIs and 19 walks.

Schoop has hit everywhere in the lineup this season except fourth and ninth, the majority of his starts (26) coming in the sixth slot. What hasn't changed is his personality and humble nature, something that his first All-Star Game appearance couldn't alter.

Manager Buck Showalter had to remind Schoop that he belonged in the group, that he wasn't just an outsider who stumbled upon a selection. He's one of the big-timers.

"I just like to be myself," Schoop said. "I just want to stay me. Do me. Go out there and work every day and get my routine and be the same guy that I was."

The Orioles will take Schoop in his present form.

The All-Star experience included a double and run scored, along with a chance to get to know players who normally compete on the opposite side.

"It was fun, it was a good experience," Schoop said. "Some guys you play against, to be in the same clubhouse and talk to them and see how good of guys they are. You play against them and they're your rivals, but outside of baseball, you guys are friends."

The American League won 2-1 in 10 innings on Robinson Cano's home run. It meant nothing in the way of home field advantage in the playoffs, but still held significance to a group of players who remains in competitive mode.

"Before the game, everyone was excited," Schoop said. "Don't just go out there and have fun, let's go out there and try to win. Try to have fun and win.

"Everybody was in the game and competing. Even when I came out, I was watching the game and cheering the guys on."

Schoop got a chance to reconnect with former teammate Nelson Cruz, a friend and mentor in 2014. Their lockers were side by side. Their bond was unbreakable.

"The guy I wanted to see again was Cruz," Schoop said. "He helped me so much in 2014 when I came up. He helped a lot, so I want to be with him and share the good times we had in 2014."

Showalter called Schoop into his office yesterday to drill him on his All-Star Game experience, peppering him with questions and then playfully asking for "stuff."

Did Schoop bring his manager a present?

"I brought him back a shirt," Schoop said, smiling, "the cheapest one."

Update: Albert Almora Jr. led off the top of the third inning with a first-pitch home run off Wade Miley to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

Update II: Addison Russell hit his second home run in two nights, a solo shot with two outs in the fourth inning to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

Russell also jumped on Miley's first pitch.

Miley walked the next two batters and Almora delivered an RBI single to increase the lead to 3-0.

Update III: Miley was charged with seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, the last scoring after Miguel Castro replaced him. Six of the runs came with two outs.

Caleb Joseph homered off Jake Arrieta, his fourth, to reduce the lead to 7-1 in the fifth inning. The Orioles have two hits in five innings.

Update IV: Willson Contreras had an RBI double off Castro with two outs in the sixth to give the Cubs an 8-1 lead. Seven of their runs have scored with two outs.

Update V: Castro surrendered a 445-foot home run to Anthony Rizzo with two outs in the eighth to increase the Cubs' lead to 9-2.

Eight runs have scored with two outs.

Ruben Tejada's infield hit in the seventh scored Trey Mancini, who reached on Russell's error. Arrieta was charged with one earned run and two total in 6 2/3 innings.