More on Machado's hot start and Hardy's heads-up play (O's lose 6-3)

ARLINGTON, Texas - Adam Jones swung at the first pitch tonight from Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, a 90-mph fastball, and grounded to short to end the top of the first inning.

No sense milking the at-bat, Jones' first since April 6.

Elvis Andrus made a nice backhanded stop and throw, getting Jones by the closest of margins. The Orioles considered a challenge, but declined it.

Manny Machado flied to right field, as Hamels needed only seven pitches to retire the side in order. He's collected a hit in all eight games this season, going 15-for-34 (.441) with three doubles, three home runs, four RBIs, nine runs scored and a 1.280 OPS.

"He's like Chris (Davis) a lot. He's just so engaged in the preparation for the game, for the competition. He's just so driven," said manager Buck Showalter.

"I can see it in some of my conversations with him in the spring. It's all about winning, but it's also about being ready to contribute for his team and his teammates. He's been so mature about the whole thing. It's been fun to watch."

A questionable baserunning decision last night didn't bring him any heat.

Machado was thrown out trying to steal third base with two outs, the Orioles down by two runs and Davis at the plate.

"That's why if he gets thrown at third, I'm not going to go down there and beat up on him," Showalter said, still delivering praise to his All-Star third baseman. "He felt it, he went for it and it didn't work out. If he gets to third and the next pitch is a breaking ball in the dirt that goes to the backstop and he scores, we're all talking about what a great play it was.

"I don't beat him up on stuff like that."

Someone suggested that it isn't a stretch to consider how Machado could hit .400 this year. Teammates say it at least half-jokingly.

A case of hyperbole?

"History will tell you it is," Showalter said. "History will tell you it is."

It's no exaggeration that J.J. Hardy's decision to cover third base last night on a 5-4-6 double play remains a huge topic of conversation. Teammates are astouded by his insticts. Showalter brought it up again today.

"I looked at the film of J.J. covering third. I can't tell you how ... It's the little things. What would possess you to go to third? I don't know if I would have," Showalter said.

Machado tried to tag Mookie Betts before firing to second base. Jonathan Schoop threw to third without hesitation and Hardy got the out.

"His throwing lane was messed up," Showalter said, explaining Machado's tag attempt. "Conventionally, you'd think (go to second), but his throwing lane was right where the runner was. If he comes up and throws the ball, he's about to hit the guy right between the eyes. Now we've got a problem.

"I know what he was trying to do. He was trying to tag (the runner) and go there, but it was pretty good improv."

It also was impressive that Schoop never thought about throwing to first. He read where Hardy was headed.

"He knew J.J. was going to be there," Showalter said. "That's the other part of the equation. How do you know your teammate is going to be there? I love the fact that we're bringing notice to that play.

"Somebody said, 'Are we going to put that on the spring training fundamentals tape?' I said, 'I don't know if that will ever come up again.' I've never seen that before and I'll never see it again. Every night, something happens."

Tonight, the Orioles are waiting for their first baserunner. Hamels has retired all six batters.

Chris Tillman has retired six in a row since Delino DeShields' leadoff single. Jones ran down Adrian Beltre's long fly ball to left-center field with two outs in the first.

Update: The first eight Orioles were retired before Nolan Reimold blooped a double to right field and scored on Joey Rickard's double to left. Orioles 1, Rangers 0.

Update II: No shutdown inning for Tillman, who allowed the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the third on Nomar Mazara's bloop single that followed a leadoff walk to Andrus and a wild pitch.

Tillman has thrown 46 pitches in three innings.

Update III: Mark Trumbo hit his third home run, a solo shot to right-center field with two outs in the fourth inning that gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead.

Update IV: The Orioles scored again in the fifth on Matt Wieters' double and an RBI single from J.J. Hardy, but the Rangers erupted for five runs in the sixth to lead 6-3.

Tillman became only the second Orioles starter to work past the fifth, but he was done after 5 1/3 innings. He was charged with six runs and nine hits, with one walk, one strikeout and a wild pitch. He threw 86 pitches, 53 for strikes.

There were some cheap hits in the sixth, including Mitch Moreland's bloop RBI double just inside the left field line and Ian Desmond's RBI infield single. They still count.

Mychal Givens let an inherited runner score.

Update V: The Orioles dropped their second game in a row, losing to the Rangers 6-3 despite 2 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen.

Adam Jones went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his return to the lineup.

Machado extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the seventh. Hyun Soo Kim pinch-hit for Reimold with two outs in the ninth and lined a single into right field.