O's game blog: Chris Tillman looks to turn it around against Houston

Coming off the worst two-start stretch of his career, Chris Tillman will try to turn it around this afternoon at Houston. Tillman is 4-2 with a 4.97 ERA on the season. In his past two outings combined, he has pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing 14 hits and 14 runs. He's never allowed more over a two-start stretch. Since beginning the year with an ERA of 0.84 his first three starts, Tillman has pitched to an ERA of 6.64 over his last eight. He has pitched fewer than six innings in six of those eight outings. Will Tillman pitch well today to reduce the concern about the O's opening day right-hander? Some other O's and Houston notes: * O's pitching has allowed just 10 hits and five runs in 16 innings this series. Their starters have given up three runs over 12 2/3 innings. * The Orioles have scored one run in each of the last two games and have gone back-to-back games without a homer for the first time since May 11-12. * Although he has gone without a homer for 265 consecutive at-bats, J.J. Hardy is batting .404 (19-for-47) over his last 12 games, with seven multi-hit games. * Nelson Cruz has 49 RBIs, the second-most for an Oriole before the end of May in club history and behind only Chris Davis' 50 in 2013. Cruz passed Eddie Murray (47 in 1984) on Wednesday, according to STATS. * Over his last five games, Davis is 1-for-19 with 11 strikeouts, while Manny Machado is 1-for-16 his last four games. * Houston has won seven in a row by a combined 39-12 score. The Astros are 10-4 their last 14 games, and 13-6 their last 19. * After struggling against pitchers with ERAs of 5.32 and 5.20 the last two days, today the O's face lefty Dallas Keuchel who is 6-2 with a 2.55 ERA. Over his last four starts, Keuchel is 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA. In 34 1/3 innings, he has walked one and fanned 28. Reverse lock today? The O's not hitting against a pitcher that has been almost untouchable lately? We'll know soon. The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds play at Lakewood at the same time as the Orioles this afternoon. The Shorebirds are 10 games over .500 at 32-22. It is the first time that Delmarva has been 10 or more games over .500 since the end of the 2008 season. The Shorebirds finished 2008 with a 78-61 record. Delmarva is 20-9 in May, including a 13-2 home record.