Showalter on Miley and a 2-1 win

Orioles starter Wade Miley left today's game with a mild muscle strain in his upper back. Mark Trumbo played today because his back spasms subsided and he hit a tie-breaking home run off Rays reliever Ryan Garton in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Don't try to figure it out. Just enjoy the ride.

Trumbo's 43rd home run, a 433-foot shot to the visiting bullpen in left-center field, also produced his career-high 101st RBI and more importantly gave the Orioles a 2-1 win before 28,427 at Camden Yards.

Splitting a four-game series against last-place Tampa Bay isn't the most satisfying outcome, but it beat the alternative as the Orioles showed up the ballpark this morning.

Zach Britton registered his 45th save, with no play at the plate but a leadoff single by Steven Souza Jr., and the Orioles improved to 82-67 overall and 47-27 at home. They went 13-6 against the Rays.

Miley cruised through three innings and swerved to avoid an accident in the fourth. Four scoreless innings from the guy with the 8.41 ERA and dwindling fan club. And then his back flares up, apparently contagious inside the Orioles' clubhouse.

The Orioles announced the ailment as upper back cramping, but a physician provided a scoring change.

"The doc after further review said he diagnosed it as a mild muscle strain," said manager Buck Showalter. "Similar symptoms to a cramp. Sometimes, they're the same thing. Cramps are because of that. I think we'll know a lot more tomorrow what we're dealing with."

Showalter noticed the previous inning that Miley was in some discomfort.

"A couple times he spun off the hill. Remember?" Showalter said. "I thought he had something going on with his hip or something. He said it kind of went away and felt good. He went out and warmed up and wasn't good, as I'm sure you all saw. Pitched well. Happy for him."

Disappointing that Miley had to leave at that point in the game, with a quality start within his reach?

"At this stage of the season I'll take the four," Showalter replied. "I'm hoping that he comes in tomorrow and feels good and is an option for us."

Showalter made sure to keep certain relievers available today and it paid off. The baton got passed like a flask, with Showalter calling upon Darren O'Day in the fifth, rookie Donnie Hart in the sixth, rookie Mychal Givens in the seventh, Brad Brach in the eighth and Britton in the ninth.

O'Day gave up the game-tying home run on his first pitch to leadoff hitter Corey Dickerson, and his first pitch since Aug. 11, but he struck out two and stranded Alexei Ramirez.

A rare mid-game appearance from O'Day.

"That, actually, other than Dickerson there ... It was the fifth inning, he was going to get as much time as he needed to warm up, there's a lot of game left and the batting order lined up good for him other than Dickerson. Though another week from now I think he'll get him out," Showalter said.

"I thought it set up just right for him. We'll see how he feels tomorrow. When we watched Wade the inning before, I was thinking if he goes out there and has an issue, it would be a good spot for Darren to kind of get his feet wet again."

Showalter thought O'Day was crisp.

"Think about how long it's been since he's been out there," Showalter said. "I wish there was a perfect up 10, down 10. That's not perfect. That's bad. But, obviously our guys pitched real well today, including Darren after the fact."

Hart induced a double play ball from Dickerson with the bases loaded and one out. Givens retired the side in order with two strikeouts and Brach survived a one-out walk to Kevin Kiermaier in the eighth.

Brach is the first Orioles reliever with 10 wins since Arthur Rhodes in 1997.

Steven Souza Jr. singled off Britton to open the ninth and he reached second base with one out after a wild pitch, but pinch-hitter Logan Forsythe struck out and Ramirez grounded to short.

Ramirez had the two-out double off Britton that almost produced the left-hander's first blown save until the relay that cut down Mikie Mahtook at the plate.

Britton is the third Orioles reliever with 45 or more saves in a season. Randy Myers had 45 in 1997 and Jim Johnson had 51 in 2012 and 50 in 2013.

The Orioles' bullpen is back at full strength, which is a must over the final 13 games.

"We'll see how Darren is tomorrow, see how everything goes and how often we'll be able to use him," Showalter said. "Those last hitters were a reminder of what we've gone through without him, and Mychal Givens has stepped up. I hope everything's fine and I can use him. I try to stay away from back-to-back, but knowing Darren he's liable to come in and say, 'I feel great, let's go.'"

Manny Machado tied the game in the sixth with his career-high 36th home run. Little ball was shoved to the side.

"We needed two runs to win today because we pitched real well and we got them," Showalter said. "I'm amazed at what these guys ... Adam Jones hammered two balls off his feet. If I went through the myriad of things he plays through. CD (Chris Davis), the things he posts through. Trum of course, Manny, everybody is weary this time of year.

"In a lot of ways I thought today's win was a very impressive win from my eyes. You've got Jonathan (Schoop), who's played every game, J.J. (Hardy), everybody's got something, They're not looking for sympathy or empathy.

"I can't tell you how proud I am every day looking out there and seeing them fight through it and being there for each other. It's a close group, It killed Trum not to play the last two days. Obviously, he had a big day for us today."

Four big nights are next.

"I know our guys are going to be ready and I know Boston is going to be ready," Showalter said. "They're in a good spot. We knew coming out of spring training after watching all the things they did in the offseason that they were going to be one of the favorites going in.

"We've got a chance. I know our guys will embrace the competition and the opportunity that they've earned to do that type of stuff for our city late in the year."