Paredes streaking along (Machado and Davis homer)

Jimmy Paredes will try to extend his hitting streak to 10 games tonight.

Paredes, batting second again as the designated hitter, has posted a .355 average with six doubles, two triples, five home runs, 15 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 18 games since coming off the disabled list. He's collected at least one hit in 16 games, and 13 of his 27 hits have gone for extra bases.

Not bad for a guy who's bounced around the majors, with two stops in the Orioles organization.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter used one word to describe the feeling of being back home:

"Great."

How long has he been gone?

"I didn't realize when I left, things weren't blooming and there was still some brown grass around. I got back and it hit me, we've got green grass, flowers are blooming, and as you all know, pollen is in the air. Just a reminder how long we've been gone," he said.

"It's like we haven't been here in forever. Looking forward to seeing some friendly faces and a more friendly atmosphere."

The home field advantage only takes hold if the Orioles play better.

"You've still got to do a lot of things home and away," he said. "You've got to pitch well. It doesn't matter where you're playing. It's still a prerequisite to have success.

"It doesn't necessarily mean something, but certainly on paper, but the guys sleep in their own beds. There's a lot of variables there. I think everybody's kind of, not curious, but interested in the atmosphere here. I know we're doing a couple of things as an organization to in some way celebrate coming home after being gone for so long for the reasons we're all aware."

Showalter said he heard about the launching of "ReOpening Day," though he didn't have many details.

"Instead of putting the orange carpet in center field, they should have the orange carpet at the gates," he said. "It's their opening day as much as anything. I hope it's the start of us playing better."

Could having the Orioles in town and the Preakness this weekend provide any sort of healing for the city?

"I certainly hope so," Showalter said. "It's a big responsibility. When you start the season, you have a lot of people you want to represent well. You should take it personally when it doesn't come across that well. It's more than just winning games, but that's obviously a big part of it.

"I said before there's some things you don't want to be normal if that's what it was. Like I tell the players all the time, mistakes will happen, but the repeating part of them is what you'll get my attention with. I have empathy to certain things, but not sympathy for other things. I think that speaks a lot more than just baseball."

I wrote earlier about Kevin Gausman's optimism over the improvement in his right shoulder and how the Orioles are leaning toward sending him to Triple-A Norfolk once he's completely healed.

"We hope," Showalter said. "I'm not going to underplay (the injury). We put him on the precautionary DL. Just something we felt was right for Kevin with some of the things that were going on, but I have some caution about getting too far ahead of ourselves until Dr. (Michael) Jacobs examines him and the MRI is taken, because this is the first time Kevin has ever had any symptoms like that and he feels great today.

"The anti-inflam, it's the first time he's ever taken them in his life, I understand, so I'm hoping that it was simple tendinitis. And obviously it wasn't hurting him pitching physically. Once he got loose he was fine, but the plan with Kevin, until we get through tomorrow, I'm going to be very cautious with him about what the future holds."

If the MRI on Tuesday comes back clean, as expected, Showalter will let pitching coach Dave Wallace and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells put together a plan for Gausman.

"Where that Norfolk assignment might come, assuming that's where it is, I'm hoping that happens shortly thereafter and he gets back in that rotation there," Showalter said.

"If we get good news today and tomorrow, maybe he goes to Sarasota. I'm going to leave that completely up to Richie and Dave Walker, who does such a great job for us with the rehabs down there. Whether he goes there or not or does his work here, I'm sure Wally will have some thoughts on that. We're fortunate to have someone like Scott McGregor handling those rehabs in Sarasota, so I feel comfortable with wherever we send him."

Update: Ubaldo Jimenez struck out the side on 17 pitches in the top of the first inning and Manny Machado led off the bottom half with his sixth home run.

Alejandro De Aza had the other Orioles leadoff homer on April 11 vs. the Blue Jays.

Delmon Young drew a 10-pitch walk off Marco Estrada with two outs and Chris Davis jumped on the next pitch for a two-run shot to deep right field, his eighth home run of the season to go with 21 RBIs. Orioles 3, Blue Jays 0.

The Orioles are wearing their home white jerseys with "Baltimore" on the front. Nice touch.

The ceremonial first pitches were thrown by five randomly selected fans representing the city of Baltimore. Jason Garcia, Brad Brach, Miguel Gonzalez, Wei-Yin Chen and Bud Norris caught them.