Tillman on the win, Jones on 200, O'Day on attempted homer catch

Chris Tillman's 2016 season just seems to keep getting better and better. Tonight, he pitched seven scoreless innings as the Orioles beat the Tigers 1-0 on Adam Jones' 200th career home run.

The Orioles have won six in a row to get to 22-12. With Houston's win over Boston tonight, the O's claim sole possession of first place in the American League East.

After the game, Jones was heaping some big praise on Tillman, who is now 5-1 with a 2.58 ERA over eight starts. The Orioles are 7-1 in those games.

"Tillman, tip my cap to him to stifle that kind of lineup," Jones said. "He stepped up and did what everyone is counting on him to do, especially here in this clubhouse. He is starting to step up in big situations, in big ways and pitch big games. Tonight, he went toe-to-toe with one of the best in the game over the last decade. This team is dynamic. We're built on pitching and defense and timely hitting."

The timely hit tonight was Jones' milestone homer off Justin Verlander in the sixth inning. He has hit 197 homers with the Orioles and three with Seattle. What does 200 mean to him?

"Been playing for a while," he said. "Think it's pretty cool. Glad we got the win. Personal things are cool and fine and dandy. If you play and perform every day, things like this seem to happen. Cool."

Jones jumped on a first-pitch fastball at 93 mph for his third homer in four games and fourth of the season.

"I think I swung at all three first pitches in my at-bats. I had a plan," he said.

Tillman is now 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in six home starts and has recorded five consecutive quality starts, going 4-0 with a 1.64 ERA in that stretch. Tillman is unbeaten over his last nine home starts dating to Sept. 12, going 5-0 with a 2.63 ERA. He matched 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner Verlander tonight.

"It's fun," Tillman said. "Anytime you get to face a guy like that and have an outing you did, it's fun to come out with a win. Every time we face them it seems like I pitch against him. He is one of the best for a reason. I try to take the same approach each time I start. I've faced that guy multiple times and he's always done well and I've done well against them."

Does Tillman feel he is on a roll right now similar to what he did over the second half of the 2014 season?

"I feel good right now. Mechanically, I'm in a good place and I can execute all my pitches when I need to. Not necessarily throw a fastball in a fastball count. You know I'm able to throw some other things in there that I'm not used to doing. It's fun right now and try to keep it going.

"I know what this team is capable of and what we're capable of doing. You get the ball to the bullpen with a lead and you're in pretty good shape. That is the belief throughout the clubhouse. We have a really solid bullpen, especially the back end."

And the Orioles' starting pitchers have now put together a run of 12 quality starts in 16 games, pitching to an ERA of 3.35 in that stretch.

"Pitching wins baseball games," Tillman said. "I think the starting staff has done a good job all the way throughout. We are throwing the ball well, as well as is the bullpen. I think we just have to keep going, it's a long season."

Here is Tillman's take on Jones hitting No. 200: "Awesome. I didn't know it until after the game. That is pretty special. Not too often you see a guy do that, mostly with one club. He is a competitor man and doesn't take any at-bat for granted."

Darren O'Day pitched a scoreless eighth inning, his 15th scoreless appearance in 16 games. He is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA and two saves. O'Day said Tillman was motivated to have a strong 2016 season.

"He was awesome," O'Day said. "Tilly, you know, he didn't have the year he wanted to last year. He wasn't happy with his results. He worked extremely hard this offseason and made himself better. He put in a lot of hard work and is reaping the benefits of that. He's got all his pitches working. I can tell you, after trying to catch a flatground of his the other day, I can see why the guys can't hit him."

On a humorous note, O'Day is the O's bullpen leader in home run catches this year with four that have gone over the fence into the 'pen. Tonight, the MASN cameras showed his disappointment when he could not quite catch Jones' blast to make it five.

"I don't want to mince words, I just clanked it," O'Day said. "I really did. I usually catch with a glove. A hat is the second option. Today, I tried to get fancy and barehand it. I actually barehanded a Nelson Cruz home run a couple of years ago, so it's happened before. But I clanked it. Einar (Diaz) and I, the bullpen catcher have worked out a deal where he throws me his glove and I catch it, but I apologize to Adam for dropping his 200th home run."