McFarland on Triple-A starts: "I think I'm better for it" (O's lead 8-5)

New Orioles left-hander Brian Duensing arrived in the clubhouse around 4 p.m. and will be in the bullpen tonight.

Duensing, a third-round pick of the Twins in 2005, has held left-handed hitters to a .238 average in seven major league seasons. Right-handers are batting .292.

The Orioles don't have a lefty specialist in their bullpen with Brian Matusz traded to the Braves and now a free agent. Is it important?

"I feel good about (Brad) Brach," said manager Buck Showalter, noting how the right-hander is effective against batters on both sides. "All our guys are capable of it. Mychal (Givens) has had some trouble with them statistically, but he's capable of better. Darren (O'Day) has defended himself well over his career, and Zach (Britton).

"I know Mike Scioscia in Anaheim, the year they won the world championship, they didn't have a left-hander for three or four years, but they had right-handed people. There are so many guys now in bullpens who are reverse-splits guys. That's one of the real changes in the game the last few years, I've noticed. How many bullpen right-handed pitchers there are who get left-handers out better than right-handers.

"I think it's the changeup. More right-on-right changeups. Tampa for years has been a reverse-splits bullpen with the exception of two or three guys. Even their starters. They're neutral or reverse-splits guys. (Chris) Tillman has turned into reverse almost. I love when they run all those left-handers out there."

Showalter has left-hander T.J. McFarland in his bullpen again tonight, with the potential to insert him into the rotation. McFarland was recalled yesterday after going 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings with the Tides.

"It's always a great feeling to get that call back up," McFarland said. "Over the years I've had multiple calls back up and they always feel the same. They feel great. Just happy to be back with the team and hopefully I can get back in there and help them win."

The role for now is long relief, with the usual ability to bounce back with minimal rest between outings.

"As far as I know, that's what I'm here for, but down in the bullpen I'll wait for the phone to ring and if it's my turn, it's my turn to go in," he said. "That's what I'll do."

McFarland made three starts with Norfolk, the final one lasting only one inning before a knee injury ended his night and forced him on the seven-day disabled list. In the first two starts, he allowed one run and 12 hits over 13 innings.

"I enjoyed it," McFarland said. "I was able to mix up my pitches a lot more and get stretched out. I was able to get up to 7 2/3, which was nice."

The knee injury threw a scare into McFarland, who's now completely healed.

"There was a play at home plate and I was trying to tag the runner and catch the ball at the same time," he said. "When I planted at home is when I felt something. I took a tumble and I got back up and tried to pitch again and that's kind of when I felt it. Luckily, I saw the doctor and everything kind of checked out. I just needed a day or two of rest and I was fine.

"When you're thinking about an injury like that, especially to the knee, it's definitely scary. Thoughts can creep up in your head, but I was able to persevere through it and manage it."

McFarland won't dare approach Showalter with questions about starting.

"No, those aren't really things I bring up to Buck," he said, grinning. "It's more of day-to-day basis-type stuff. No, I'm just trying to play a role in the bullpen and go from there."

The added confidence obtained from his successful starts with Norfolk could prove beneficial. Perhaps there's a carryover effect.

"Yeah, definitely," he said. "I had two starts and I was able to boost my confidence a little bit in terms of starting, but starting here is a completely different level, so in terms of that, I'm not really sure. I just know that I was able to get stretched out and work on my pitches and I think I'm better for it."

McFarland will be the next man up tonight if Ubaldo Jimenez has another abbreviated start. The leash on Jimenez has grown shorter, though a solution is more complicated because he's out of options.

Jimenez lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his last outing in Cleveland. He was charged with three earned runs and six total and also walked three batters.

"I think command early has always followed suit," Showalter said.

"We've talked with Ubaldo a little bit about letting it rip early and we'll worry about how long you go later. But it's something we've talked to him about before. The holding the runners and the awareness of the game situation, that's something that through is career has kind of kind and gone and we harp about it constantly."

Jimenez has a new catcher tonight, with Francisco Pena making his first start as an Oriole.

"It's going to be interesting to see how he and Pena work together tonight," Showalter said. "You're always looking for a toy or hook or something that might give a guy a different feel.

"I know Matt (Wieters) is pretty beat up. It's like he caught three games last night. That was rough. And may get another one tonight."

Update: Mark Trumbo and Adam Jones hit two-run homers to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead. Trumbo connected in the fourth and Jones the fifth.

This is Jones' first home run since May 14.

Jimenez has allowed one hit in five scoreless innings. He's also issued one walk. He retired 12 of the first 13 batters.

Update II: Jimenez didn't retire a batter in the sixth and gave up five runs, the last three on David Ortiz's home run, but Trumbo homered in the bottom half to tie the score.

Trumbo has four multi-homer games this season and 11 in his career.

Jimenez allowed five runs and six hits in five-plus innings, with two walks, three strikeouts and a home run. He threw 90 pitches, 54 for strikes. The wheels came off quickly.

Update III: Make it four home runs for the Orioles tonight. Manny Machado's three-run shot off Junichi Tazawa with two outs in the seventh broke a 5-5 tie.

Brad Brach has replaced Givens in the eighth.