Tillman, Hardy and Showalter wrap up a 2-1 win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Chris Tillman inched closer tonight to that elusive 20-win mark. He also continued to make life easier on manager Buck Showalter, who otherwise must maneuver relievers to get through nine innings and keep everyone healthy.

The bullpen didn't get busy tonight until Brad Brach started to warm in the top of the eighth inning with Tillman at 92 pitches.

Tillman held the Rays to one run in seven innings, continuing a hot month of July, and the Orioles defeated the Rays 2-1 before an announced crowd of 18,638 at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles have won four in a row and six of seven to improve their record to 53-36 overall and 20-22 on the road. They've tied their season high by moving 17 games above .500.

Tillman allowed four hits, walked three and struck out three. He threw 92 pitches, 60 for strikes, before Brach replaced him.

In three July starts, Tillman has allowed three runs and 12 hits over 21 innings. He retired nine of the last 10 Rays he faced tonight and lowered his ERA to 3.29 in 120 1/3 innings.

The command steadily improved as the night progressed.

"It was good. It ended up good," he said. "I think early on there was a little bit of a, I was fighting to get in rhythm. I felt like I had been the last couple of starts. You've got to fight to get into rhythm and once you hit on a couple pitches, you get in stride a little bit and you go from there. It got better as the game went on."

Tillman is 13-2 on the season. The last Oriole to win 20 games was Mike Boddicker in 1984.

Too soon to think about it?

"Way too soon for me," he replied.

It isn't too soon to consider that Dylan Bundy makes his first major league start on Sunday and a fresh bullpen is needed. Tillman did his part.

"I try to get as deep as I can in every ballgame," Tillman said. "I didn't put any extra pressure on myself tonight to get deep in the game. It just kind of unfolded that way. Weity did a good job there of getting me back on track and it's good to see those later innings, that's for sure."

Tillman is 6-0 against the American League East this season and the Orioles are 9-0 in those starts. They're 17-3 in his 20 starts this season.

"Team wins are important," Tillman said. "All the personal stuff goes by the wayside when it comes to winning ballgames. The more games the team wins, the better off we are at the end of the season. I think that's our approach and it's good to be a part of."

Brach retired the Rays in order in the eighth to lower his ERA to 0.88 with 60 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings, and Zach Britton improved to 29-for-29 in save situations.

The Orioles tried to expand their lead in the ninth, but Mark Trumbo was out at the plate while trying to score from first base on Chris Davis' double.

The Orioles settled for two runs tonight, which were enough for Tillman, Brach and Britton. J.J. Hardy's two-run homer in the second inning provided an ample cushion.

Hardy's shoulder is healthy, the ankle is fine and his power is returning. He's homered twice in his last nine at-bats and is hitting .371/.389/.657 during a nine-game hitting streak.

"Yeah, I'm not thinking about the shoulder at all," he said. "I know I was a lot last year. I'm not thinking about it anymore, so I think that's the biggest thing."

Matt Moore didn't do much wrong tonight besides the pitch to Hardy. He held the Orioles to two runs and five hits over 7 1/3 innings.

"He's got a good arm, a really good arm," Hardy said. "He didn't show anyone his pitches until the second time through. He started throwing his changeup a little more, and the third time through he started throwing his curveball, so I think he pitched a good game."

Just not as good as Tillman.

"What year was it, two years ago? It's the Tillman of a couple years ago," Hardy said. "His stuff is really crisp. He's hitting his spots and he's throwing four pitches for strikes. He's keeping hitters off balance. He's looking really good."

The Orioles can bash opponents into submission, but they've won 2-1, 4-3, 4-2 and 3-2 during their four-game winning streak.

"Winning a one-run ballgame, yeah, it's nice to see Tillman, the way he was throwing, and then bringing in Brad and Zach," Hardy said. "The one-run, it was the way those guys were throwing. They're not going to get many."

Here's a sampling from Showalter:

On Tillman:
"That was about as good of command, what did he have, two or three walks? Didn't feel like it. Of course, having Brad and Zach down there. Not very often that stands up. It's a place pitcher like to pitch. Chris, would've been a good outing regardless."

On winning low-scoring games:
"That's usually a product of the bullpen. It was tempting to let Chris go back out there, but (Logan) Forsythe and (Evan) Longoria have had some success against him, the fourth time around the order. Plus, we had two good options. Brad and Zach made it a lot easier. Not very often a two-run homer stands up, but it did."

On Tillman's success within the division:
"It magnifies it when you know everybody knows him. That's a real tribute to his repertoire. Chris has got a lot of ways, the changeup, the slider. I think the slider has been as good of a pitch, it's really improved a lot since last year. And the curveball and the changeup. It's one thing, it gets magnified by how well everyone knows him and he continues to have success with it."

On Bundy starting Sunday:
"That's another reason why I was trying to shorten (Tillman) up. Next time he pitches is going to be a day game. Whether Dylan is pitching tomorrow or not, it's the big leagues and you've got try to win every day. Regardless of how it looks, the ramifications, it doesn't always end up that way.

On Hardy:
"I think the four days of rest, his leg is feeling better. He's able to push off it a little more. I think it's a reminder, this guy has hit 20, 30 home runs a year. He's had that pop, especially sitting down in that order."