Orioles start new series with Machado at shortstop (O's win 4-1)

Though he owns two Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove at third base, Manny Machado arrived at the Ed Smith Stadium complex this spring determined to get better. He wasn't going to rest on his hardware.

Leave it to the unpredictable nature of baseball to move Machado away from his goal and his position.

Machado is starting at shortstop tonight with J.J. Hardy on the disabled list. It could be temporary or the norm. Manager Buck Showalter is taking it one day at a time.

There are people in the organization who like the idea of defensive specialist Paul Janish playing shortstop every day and Machado staying at third. Janish is going on paternity leave, but he's expected to have his contract purchased later this week from Triple-A Norfolk.

Showalter again mentioned Pedro Alvarez as a possibility at third base. And of course, Ryan Flaherty arrived today and can play third or short.

Machado is no stranger to short, of course, where he played 203 games in the minors and is making his 12th appearance and ninth start tonight with the Orioles. It's his natural position. He's energized whenever Showalter puts a six beside his name on the lineup card.

"It's a lot about needs of the club, but he's been playing shortstop about as much as he's been playing third base up here with the shifts and the angles. He's been there," Showalter said.

"We were kidding today that he's played about as much shortstop as he has third base here, even when he's got a five next to his name. But good players like the challenge of doing something that the team needs. They like that responsibility. Some shirk it. Manny doesn't."

Machado was named American League Player of the Month for April after batting .344/.394/.667 with 10 doubles, seven home runs, 16 RBIs, seven walks and 20 runs scored.

Asked what made Machado stand out last month, Showalter replied, "His consistency of (being) engaged. He didn't waste any at-bats and very seldom did he get himself out."

"Manny came in this spring wanting to be the best third baseman in baseball as far as defensively and what you have to do to get there," Showalter added. "First day he grabbed Bobby Dickerson. 'OK, what have we got?' Drills. This, that and whatever.

"Manny's been engaged in the preparation for the competition. Not that he hasn't been before. It's just been so much more focused every day. You can tell by the look in his eye he's got a real passion for what he's trying to accomplish for our team."

The Orioles are trying to get back into first place after falling a half-game behind the Red Sox. The Yankees have a more exhausting task while sitting in last place with an 8-15 record that's left them six games back.

Are the Orioles catching them at the right time?

"I look at it just the opposite," Showalter said.

"We all know how good they are and they're going to compete for the division title. We know they're going to be there all year and it's just a matter of who's there when they get it going. Like us, you go through periods. They'll seek their level and their level is good. We know it."

Note: The Mariners purchased the contract of former Orioles pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Tacoma. He's back in the bigs.

Update: Chris Tillman got ahead of Didi Gregorius 0-2 with two outs in the second inning, hung a curveball and fell behind 1-0.

Gregorius slapped a single up the middle to score Brian McCann, who led off with a walk. Carlos Beltran singled and the Orioles turned a 4-6-3 double play before Gregorius batted.

Update II: Mark Trumbo tied the game in the second inning with his seventh home run and only his second since April 15. And he got all of it.

Update III: Severino dropped another throw at first base, his second tonight, and Jonathan Schoop raced home to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the fourth.

Schoop doubled with two outs and Flaherty grounded to the right side, where Mark Teixeira made a diving stop and flipped to Severino.

Update IV: It's a two-homer night for Trumbo, his two-run shot in the fifth increasing the Orioles' lead to 4-1. It's his second multi-homer game of the season and ninth of his career.

Update V: The Orioles rode Tillman's strong outing to a 4-1 win over the Yankees.

Tillman allowed one run and tied his career high with nine strikeouts in seven innings. His ERA is down to 2.81 in 32 innings.

Brad Brach worked a scoreless eighth and Darren O'Day recorded his second save, as the Orioles improved to 15-10.