Gausman and game update (O's lead 5-2)

Kevin Gausman will have to wait until Wednesday to make his Triple-A debut. Norfolk's game against Indianapolis tonight was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader at Harbor Park. Gausman is scheduled to pitch Game 1, followed by Josh Stinson in Game 2. Fans are asking when Gausman will return to the Orioles. Zach Britton could influence that decision. Britton, making only his second start with the Orioles this season, is shutting out the Tigers on two hits over three innings. Six of the outs have come on ground balls, which is a good sign. Britton threw 11 pitches in the first inning, 23 in the second and only six in the third. Shortstop J.J. Hardy gave him a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-run shot off Tigers starter Justin Verlander. Hardy is 7-for-30 with three homers and seven RBIs lifetime against the former Rookie of the Year, Cy Young winner and Most Valuable Player. All three home runs have come in the last two meetings. Second baseman Ryan Flaherty has two hits tonight. He was 1-for-18 in his last five games before facing Verlander. Travis Ishikawa grounded to second in his first at-bat with the Orioles. I'm reminded of a conversation I had with Ishikawa in spring training. He's never played in Baltimore, but he attended a July 20, 1997 game at Camden Yards with his parents during a family vacation. It became especially memorable because plate umpire Al Clark ejected Cal Ripken for arguing balls and strikes. "We didn't stay very long," Ishikawa said. "It was hot and we only had standing room only tickets." Nolan Reimold began his injury rehab assignment tonight at Double-A Bowie. He's 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Update: The Orioles are roughing up Verlander. Adam Jones hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to increase the lead to 5-0 against a pitcher they've never beaten. Verlander is 8-0 against them. Manny Machado collected his 33rd double, Nick Markakis drew his third walk and Jones went to the opposite field for his 15th home run. Machado now has 100 hits on the season. According to STATS, his double tonight tied Brian Roberts' club record for most doubles before an All-Star Game, set in 2008. Miguel Tejada (30 in 2005) is the only other Oriole to have 30 doubles before an All-Star Game. Since Machado joined the team last summer, the Orioles are 57-31 (.648) when he gets a hit and 16-18 (.471) when he does not. Update II: Britton allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, a homer by Matt Tuiasosopo. He gave up five hits, walked three and struck out one. Britton threw 92 pitches, 51 for strikes, before Darren O'Day replaced him in the sixth. Nine of Britton's outs came on ground balls. The only real negative can be found in the walks column, but overall, it's a good outing. Not a quality start by definition, but the Orioles will take it. Updste III: O'Day hadn't allowed a run in 10 straight appearances until Austin Jackson's RBI single in the seventh. Brian Matusz replaced O'Day and stranded two runners by inducing a popup from Prince Fielder on one pitch. Fielder is now 1-for-2 with a double lifetime against Matusz. The Orioles survived what appeared to be a blown call by second base umpire Laz Diaz on a tag play involving Machado that cost the team a double play.