More on Davis, Hardy, Machado and Tejada (O's down 5-4)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't certain whether first baseman Chris Davis will stay at Tropicana Field for tonight's game or head back to the team hotel, as he did last night because of a stomach virus.

"Still weak," Showalter said. "It was a lot better today. Hopefully, he'll be able to start tomorrow.

"He's lost a lot of fluids. You can read between the lines. Different ways to lose fluids. But I talked to him today. They think he's past the contagious part, so he's going to be around tonight unless they send him home. We're going to talk about that and see how he feels. But just trying to eat something. He hasn't eaten really in a day and a half, so hopefully he can eat something."

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy remains scheduled to have his right wrist examined Monday by Dr. Kenneth Means after the team returns from its road trip. Hardy likely will be cleared to increase his strengthening exercises.

"He's been doing a lot of work every day," Showalter said.

I wrote earlier that infielder Ryan Flaherty will report to Double-A Bowie on Thursday. Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander is expected to join him.

Tyler Coolbaugh, the Orioles' 36th-round pick this year out of Angelo State and the son of hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh, pulled a quad muscle this morning in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. His father had just left the game and was headed back to St. Petersburg.

Manny Machado began the month with a .216 average, but he's batting .316/.382/.468 this month with three doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs. He hit .214/.288/.416 in 60 games in the third slot in the order and is batting .280/.347/.462 in 34 games while batting second.

Machado came through with a two-run single last night in a 5-0 win over the Rays.

"I would be hard to put your finger on, but I think the biggest thing is realizing that he's not going to get everything back in one at-bat," Showalter said. "I think he's kind of shown some maturity about it. He spoiled us with one of the top levels in the game and I know it's frustrating for him.

"He's never once said, 'Well, it's just going to be one of those years.' Manny doesn't do that. He continues to impact our team defensively. I'm proud. He fought his way through it. It's one of those things, especially as a young player, that you'll always reach back for that when you go through a period. Everybody gets that thrown at you.

"It's not like the game humbles. He doesn't need to be. He's a pretty humble kid as it is. He may not project that look, but he's a fan of the game and he loves the game and he realizes how hard it comes. As easy as he makes it look sometimes, that's not the way he approaches it."

The Orioles continue to play Rubén Tejada at shortstop every day while evaluating his defense, which seems to be sharper of late.

"I think he feels confident in our confidence in him," Showalter said. "I think everything's kind of relaxed. Think about it, he came from another organization, didn't know anybody. Just kind showed up and we picked his friends for him. I think the last week or so he's looked a lot more comfortable in the whole tempo and what we ask of the shortstop, just like everybody else. It's fun to watch."

Update: Wade Miley retired the side in order on nine pitches in the first inning and surrendered five runs in the second to put the Orioles in an early hole.

Mallex Smith had an RBI single with the bases loaded, Jesús Sucre followed with a sacrifice fly and Tim Beckham hit a three-run homer. Miley threw 26 pitches in the inning.

Update II: Machado lifted a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning after singles by Welington Castillo, Joey Rickard and Adam Jones, and Trey Mancini homered in the sixth to reduce the lead to 5-2.

Mancini has 16 home runs.

Update III: Castillo's two-out, two-run single off former Oriole Tommy Hunter in the eighth inning reduced the lead to 5-4.