Schoop records four-hit game, Tillman earns second win in Boston series opener

Chris Tillman had to struggle to get through five innings tonight. Jonathan Schoop did not struggle tonight, and he came up with his first career four-hit game. Tillman notched his second win as the Orioles beat Boston 8-4 to open a four-game series at Fenway Park. Schoop went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. He has now hit safely in seven straight games, going 12-for-28 (.429) with six doubles, a homer and seven RBIs. The Orioles go over .500 at 8-7 with their third win in a row and sixth in the last eight games. They are 7-3 since their 1-4 start. The Orioles improved to 16-7 at Fenway Park over their last 23 games in Boston. They have won six of their last seven series at Fenway. Tillman needed a whopping 122 pitches to get through the fifth. He gave up seven hits and three runs with four walks and five strikeouts. Tillman improves to 2-1 with an ERA of 1.71. He is now 5-2 with an ERA of 2.86 in 13 career starts against the Red Sox. Since the start of last season, Tillman has now started eight times against Boston, and the Orioles are 7-1 in those games. O's starters have an ERA of 3.12 over their past 10 games. After an Adam Jones infield RBI single made it 1-0 in the first, the O's scored three in the third off John Lackey. Nick Markakis knocked in a run with his second double of the game, and Nelson Cruz had a two-run single. Markakis moved into ninth place on the O's all-time extra-base hits list with 435, passing Rafael Palmeiro. Six different Orioles drove in runs in the game as the Birds scored seven or more runs for the second time in three games. They went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position. The Orioles are 26-15 against Boston since the start of 2012, and they are 32-18 vs. the Sox since July 19, 2011. In the second game of this series, Bud Norris (0-1, 3.75 ERA) will pitch against lefty Felix Doubront (1-2, 6.75 ERA). The game is tomorrow at 1:35 p.m.