O's game blog: Orioles look for series sweep today

He had a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his right shoulder in December and a cortisone shot in the middle of March. Now, after four minor league rehab starts, right-hander Chris Tillman finally makes his season debut here this afternoon, facing the Chicago White Sox.

Tillman made one start with Single-A Frederick, two for Double-A Bowie and one with Triple-A Norfolk. His tour of the affiliates produced an 0-3 record and ERA of 7.16. Over 16 1/3 innings he allowed 20 hits including seven homers with four walks and 14 strikeouts. His WHIP was 1.47.

The stat sheet doesn't look great for him, but he said he's been healthy and he would not be the first pitcher to post a mediocre pitching line in a rehab game or games and a better one in the majors. He will try to do just that here today.

Tillman went 16-6 with a 3.77 ERA last season. Over 172 innings, he allowed 155 hits with 66 walks, 140 strikeouts and a .244 batting average against. He made 30 starts and the Orioles went 22-8 in those games. In fact, in a 2016 season in which the Orioles had a winning percentage of .549 as a team, they had a win percentage of .733 in Tillman's starts.

From 2012 through 2016, the Orioles had the fourth-best winning percentage in the majors, at .548. During that time their win percentage was .643 (92-51) when Tillman started. A team with that winning percentage for a full season would have 104 victories.

So the Orioles are delighted to have Tillman back today, and if he begins to pitch to his track record, it will provide a major lift.

Chicago left-hander Jose Quintana (2-4, 4.10 ERA) will make his seventh start of 2017. His ERA was 6.75 after three starts, but is 1.80 his last three. Over his last two starts, he has allowed just one earned run and is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.64, a 0.93 WHIP and .176 average against.

In five career starts versus Baltimore, he is 1-3 with a 3.82 ERA. In three career games at Oriole Park, Quintana is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA.

The Orioles (19-10) beat the White Sox 6-5 last night. That gives them the series victory and they are 7-1-2 in 10 series, including a 5-0 mark at home, where they are 10-3. The Orioles are 7-1 in one-run games and 6-2 in two-run games.

Last night was the Orioles' ninth multi-homer game, as Trey Mancini and Manny Machado went deep. They are 8-1 when hitting two or more home runs.

The Orioles offense is starting to get going. The O's have scored 18 runs the last three games and 49 in the last nine.

Over his past 10 games, Machado is batting .302 with five homers, 11 runs and 10 RBIs. He has hit four homers his past six games. Chris Davis is 6-for-14 during a four-game hitting streak. Over his past three games, Mancini is 5-for-9 with two doubles, a homer and five RBIs. Seth Smith is 7-for-12 his last three games. Mark Trumbo is 6-for-12 with six singles his past three games.