O's game blog: Chris Tillman looks for his 15th win of the season

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

July 26, 2016, 2:55pm

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With back-to-back walk-off wins, the Orioles have enjoyed a 4-0 homestand since Friday and look for another win tonight as they host the Colorado Rockies in the second game of a three-game series.

At 58-40 with five consecutive wins, the Orioles own the best record in the American League, the second-best record in the majors behind the Cubs (59-39) and lead the AL East by 2 1/2 games over the Red Sox and three over the Blue Jays.

The Orioles have the best home record in the majors at 37-14 (.725) and have won six in a row at Camden Yards. Over longer stretches, the Orioles are 11-1 in their past 12 home games and 20-4 in the last 24. A win tonight or tomorrow would give them yet another home series win. They are 12-1-3 in 16 home series this season, with the only series loss to Seattle in mid-May.

Chris Tillman (14-2, 3.18 ERA) can take the major league lead in wins with a victory tonight. Tillman is tied with Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox for the major league lead. Tillman ranks ninth in the AL in ERA. His winning percentage of .875 ranks second in the AL and third in the majors. Right-hander Chad Bettis (8-6, 5.31 ERA) gets the start for the Rockies.

Tillman is 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA and .170 average against his last four starts, allowing exactly one run over seven innings each time. He has recorded wins against the Dodgers, Angels, Rays and Yankees.

The Orioles are 18-3 in Tillman's 21 starts. That includes a record of 10-1 in his past 11 starts and 12-0 when Tillman starts at Camden Yards. At home, Tillman is 8-0 with a 3.23 ERA. The O's have gone 9-0 in Tillman's last nine interleague starts since May 26, 2014.

As for the Orioles' starting rotation, they have an ERA of 1.38 over the past five games and 2.88 over the last 13 contests.

Bettis allowed just one run over 6 2/3 in his last start and is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA his last three starts. The Rockies are 7-1 in his last eight starts and Bettis is 4-1 with an ERA of 4.89 in that stretch. In 11 road starts, he is 4-4 with a 5.18 ERA. In his only career start versus Baltimore, which was on Aug. 17, 2013, he gave up eight runs and seven hits over 2 2/3 innings in a start at Camden Yards.