Markakis homer gives Orioles another lead (O's win 7-6 in 12 innings)

Seriously, let's forget everything I said and wrote about tonight's game being a low-scoring affair, a duel between Chris Tillman and Jered Weaver, a struggle for runs. Ain't happening. Nick Markakis hit a three-run homer off Weaver in the bottom of the fourth, the ball slamming off the right field foul pole, to give the Orioles a 6-4 lead over the Angels. Markakis has eight homers this season, the most recent before tonight coming on June 28. Weaver walked Steve Pearce and Nick Hundley before Markakis' homer. Yes, those walks will hurt you. Josh Hamilton homered to center field off Tillman with two outs in the top of the fifth to reduce the lead to 6-5. And so it goes... The Orioles were trailing in the top of the fourth after Hank Conger's sacrifice fly scored Howie Kendrick to break a 3-3 tie. Tillman's line so far: 5 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs, 3 ER, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, HR, WP, 79 pitches, 55 strikes. Update: Brad Brach replaced Tillman to start the sixth and retired the Angels in order. Weaver also is done after five innings. Delmon Young has singled and doubled tonight and is 30-for-80 (.375) versus right-handed pitchers. Down on the farm, Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one unearned run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, with three walks and three strikeouts. Dylan Bundy took a shutout into the fifth with Single-A Frederick and left with the bases loaded and one out. He was charged with two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings, with five walks and one strikeout. Earlier today, Showalter listed the possibilities for Jimenez following his start at Aberdeen. "He could pitch again in Norfolk or activate him," Showalter said. "Let's see how everything goes tonight." Showalter, as usual, is letting executive vice president Dan Duquette worry about the non-waiver trade deadline. He's not focusing on players outside his own clubhouse. "Dan knows where my priority is and I don't want every single name that's brought up or whatever and the logistics of how that works," Showalter said. "You never assume anything. I don't want to know everyone. We talked about some things that are out there, but he doesn't have to and I don't want him to. "I want our players to know that every ounce I've got is toward the 25 that are here and the 20-whatever that are in Norfolk and Bowie. That's my job and he brings me and the coaching staff into play when it looks like it's something we might do, and how everybody feels about it and more importantly, how it would fit on our club. One thing to go out and acquire somebody, but there's got to be a fit there. And you guys can figure out where the fit might be. But I'm looking at trying to play through the end of October with the 25 people we have, and the first step of that is being one of the teams that gets to play in the playoffs. We've got a lot of challenges ahead of us." Are there certain holes in the lineup or on the pitching staff that need to be filled? "You go through a span where it looks like you've got a hole and then it closes, and then another one (opens)," Showalter said. "There's no perfect teams. The last team standing last year had things they were concerned about. Who was it, Boston? Did they make a trade at the deadline? I'm sure they did. (Jake) Peavy? Maybe two or three. "I've got a lot of confidence in our people up there, and if it comes to that point... I think we get so bogged down thinking it's a strict, no more trades after this day. Take a look at the people acquired after the deadline. It's a moving target. I don't know. Dan brings me up to speed on things that he wants my input on, and he knows that I go through the coaching staff with it and we kick it around." Update II: The Angels tied the game with two outs in the seventh on Hamilton's routine grounder to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who wanted to flip the ball to second base for the force before throwing late to first. Ryan Flaherty didn't get to the bag in time and Hamilton ran hard out of the box as Mike Trout scored. The run is charged to Brach, who hit Trout with two outs and gave up a single to Albert Pujols. Brian Matusz entered the game to face Hamilton, who was 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts against the left-hander before tonight. Update III: Manny Machado led off the bottom of the 12th with a walk-off home run off reliever Cory Rasmus to give the Orioles a 7-6 victory. Machado's 11th homer came on a 1-2 curveball. The Orioles are 12-3 in extra innings and have won seven straight.