Alvarez gets rare start vs. lefty, Reimold stays in center (O's lead 5-3)

With Adam Jones on the bench again tonight, the Orioles are breaking out another unique lineup that oozes creativity. Whether it does the same with runs, more important and less messy, will be known later.

Steve Pearce is leading off for the second time in his career - and the second time since Sunday afternoon in New York. He went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.

Pedro Alvarez is batting second for the third time in his career and the first since his rookie season with the Pirates in 2010.

Alvarez's inclusion may seem curious since it's coming against a left-hander. He's gone 6-for-30 against them this season, but his lone home run came against J.A. Happ, who's on the mound tonight for the Blue Jays.

I wondered earlier today whether Alvarez would be in the lineup because he's 4-for-10 with two extra-base hits against Happ.

"This guy's got one of the higher fastball percentage rates," said manager Buck Showalter. I think he and (Kevin) Gausman. It's because he's got a very good one and he attacks with it. It's got great late life.

"Pete's had a little success against him. If Adam had been in the lineup, I still might have got Pete in there."

Nolan Reimold remains in center field, where he made a terrific running catch last night to rob Josh Donaldson in the first inning. Reimold crashed into the fence and held onto the ball.

"Last night, if you keep in mind this guy basically had a broken place in his neck from going in the stands for the Baltimore Orioles and his teammates and trying to win a game, and then you watch that last night, I really say how many people would have made that play?" Showalter said.

"Brady (Anderson) and I were talking about it after the game. A lot of these fences have a little give to them. That one there rings your bell as much as anyone because you're basically going at a high rate and your body completely stops and you go backward. That's about as good a play as you want to see when you factor all the things in."

Reimold also cut off a ball in the right-center field gap and turned a potential double into a single. He looked much better than he did Friday night in New York, when he replaced Jones in center field in the second and dropped a fly ball that contributed to a six-run inning.

"He's trying to give us what we need, and with that exception, he's been fine out there," Showalter said. "He's engaged and he knows he can do it. He's not saying he's Adam Jones but he's trying to do it as we need it.

"Tough play (last night). I know Donaldson thought, the way he came out of the box, he went through the period where he was going to go into the slowdown, then he decided it may hit off the top of the wall and decided to go into fast (mode), and then he got to take a trip back to the dugout. It was good."

Reimold is 2-for-5 with two walks and a run scored in his last two games. He's 0-for-7 with three strikeouts lifetime against Happ.

Update: Michael Saunders doubled in the second inning and scored with two outs on Kevin Pillar's bloop single into center field. Pillar stole second and took third on catcher Matt Wieters' throwing error, but Devon Travis bounced out.

Jimenez has thrown 37 pitches in two innings. He walked two batters in the first, but escaped without allowing a run. He didn't issue a walk in six innings in D.C.

Update II: Pearce tied the game in the fifth with a solo home run off J.A. Happ and Manny Machado hit his 100th career home run after Alvarez walked to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.

Statcast measured Machado's homer to left-center field at 438 feet.

Pearce is 10-for-28 with two doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs lifetime against Happ. Alvarez has doubled, singled and walked in the second slot in the lineup.

Update III: Michael Saunders tied the game 3-3 with a two-run shot off Jimenez with one out in the seventh. Jimenez allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, with two walks and three strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Happ allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, with two walks and three strikeouts. He therw 102 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Update IV: Matt Wieters hit a two-out, two-run homer off Jason Grilli in the eighth to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead. Jonathan Schoop walked with two outs.