Showalter on Beltre's upcoming milestone hit (plus a game update)

ARLINGTON, Texas - An Orioles pitcher could throw the pitch that leads to a milestone hit this weekend. Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre has 2,996 hits and needs four to become the 31st member of Major League Baseball's 3,000-hit club.

Beltre is coming off a series against Miami where he went 7-for-10 with two walks in the three-game series. The seven hits matched the second-most by a Ranger in a three-game series this season. Beltre went 5-for-15 in the four-game series at Camden Yards last week and has been a .340/.380/.618 (89-for-262) hitter against the Orioles with 18 homers, 19 doubles, 51 RBIs and 46 runs in 67 games since the start of 2009.

Among batters with 200 or more plate appearances versus Baltimore in that span, his .999 OPS ranks fourth (Miguel Cabrera, 1.204; Kevin Youkilis, 1.080; Robinson Cano, 1.008) and the .340 average is fourth.

It is pretty clear that Orioles manager Buck Showalter holds Beltre in high regard.

"I'd be OK with him getting four tonight and us winning," Showalter said this afternoon. "You don't see many players so universally respected and liked. And everything he does on the field is sincere. He smiles easily, he cares what his teammates think and he's always got time for everybody. I haven't managed him, but is there anyone in the game that has more universal respect from the opposition?

"He's been an entertainer in a lot of ways. I love watching him play. He was that way the first time I saw him play in L.A. Nothing has changed. You might want to take a good look because there are not going to be many 3,000 (-hit) people. He always seems like he's playing his first game in Little League. He's fun to watch. He's a great example for those that want to take on that (type of leadership). That's a pretty good blueprint right there."

Beltre has a current 61-game errorless streak at third base, dating to Aug. 29, 2016, a club record at the position and the longest such span of his career.

O's behind quick: Chris Tillman had another shaky first inning tonight as the Orioles quickly fell behind Texas 2-0. He walked leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo on a 3-2 pitch and Elvis Andrus singled. Then No. 3 hitter Nomar Mazara drove a 1-1 fastball into the gap in right-center to score both runners. Texas led 2-0 just three batters into the game.

It took Tillman 32 pitches to get out of the first down by two. He has now allowed 17 runs in the first inning of his 14 starts, counting tonight. His first inning ERA was 10.38 to start this game.

Texas doubled the lead in the third on Andrus' two-run homer to left off Tillman. He hit No. 14 off a 90 mph fastball.

Beltre got career hit No. 2,997 later in the inning and it scored a run to make it 5-0. He blooped a single to center to score Mazara, who doubled for the second time in the game. Richard Bleier was warming as the third inning ended with the Orioles behind 5-0.

Rangers KO Tillman: Texas knocked Tillman out during a three-run fifth to open an 8-0 lead. Beltre singled in another run with career hit No. 2,998. Carlos Gomez delivered a two-run single off Richard Bleier, with both runs charged to Tillman.

Tillman went 4 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits and eight runs with two walks and six strikeouts on 101 pitches. The eight runs allowed is one off his career high.

No shutout: Jonathan Schoop got the Orioles on the board with a solo homer in the sixth. It was No. 23 for Schoop and made it 8-1.