Eventful but scoreless first inning (Schoop homers)

NEW YORK - The Orioles put runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the first inning today and failed to push across a run. Can't waste those rare opportunities against Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka. Nick Marakakis singled for his 1,461st career hit, putting him 113 behind Boog Powell for 13th place on the club's all-time list. Yes, I'm still counting. Steve Pearce grounded a single into left field, his ninth hit in his last 17 at-bats. But Adam Jones flied out and Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis struck out. First base umpire Chris Guccione ruled that Cruz didn't check his swing. Replays showed he was wrong. Cruz and manager Buck Showalter agreed with the replays. Tanaka threw 23 pitches in the inning. Brett Gardner led off the bottom of the first with an apparent triple off Chris Tillman, but he came off the bag and was tagged out. The Orioles won their challenge in 2 minutes, 38 seconds. Showalter's mood may have improved a little. The Orioles have 16 outfield assists, including a team-leading five from Markakis. Tillman walked Jacoby Ellsbury with two outs, but Mark Teixeira flied out. Tillman had allowed 15 runs in the first inning in his 15 starts. Tillman also threw 23 pitches, only 12 for strikes. Rule 5 pick Michael Almanzar is playing a rehab game today at Single-A Frederick. He made one appearance for the Gulf Coast League team, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and committing two throwing errors at third base. Mychael Givens, the shortstop-turned-reliever, was promoted from Frederick to Double-A Bowie. Givens was 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 18 appearances, with 21 hits, 16 walks and 27 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings. Update: Jonathan Schoop has six home runs this season. Two have come against Tanaka. Baseball is a funny game. Schoop lined a slider into the left field seats with two outs in the second to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Tanaka has allowed 11 home runs this season, his first in the U.S. And Schoop has two of them. Funny, indeed. Tillman retired the Yankees in order in the bottom of the second inning. He had allowed 14 runs in the second before today.