Showalter on Schoop: "We all know he's capable of better" (updated)

ST. PETERBURG, Fla. - Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop may lead the league in loud outs. Deep drives down the left field line that hook foul, avoiding the pole like it's contagious. Blistering ground balls, ropes in the gap that find a glove.

These are consolation prizes at best, their bulk dragging down his average.

Schoop began tonight's game batting .200, the cost of a 2-for-30 slump. He cooled off immediately after his two-homer game in Texas on April 15 that left him with five hits in his last 12 at-bats.

Manager Buck Showalter continues to start Schoop, though he doesn't have much choice with a three-man bench that doesn't include another second baseman.

"Jon, a young player like that, he knows he's 0-for-this or 0-for-that, and the only thing you do is magnify it by bringing a lot of focus to it," Showalter said.

Schoop had a chance to bust out in a big way last night, stepping to the plate in the third inning with the bases loaded, no outs and a run already across. He popped up to shortstop, and Caleb Joseph grounded into a double play.

"Jon was disappointed in his at-bat with a man on third and less than one out, but we all know he's capable of better," Showalter said.

"He's a young player, a college senior basically that's learning about himself and different stuff. And it all comes back to they are trying to get him to get himself out. He's better this year than he was last year at it and once he gets going somebody will pay again. But he's got a lot of thump in that bat and we just want him to continue to play other parts of the game well while we're patient for that to come back."

With four left-handers facing the Orioles in a five-game stretch, Nolan Reimold figures to become a regular presence in the lineup. He's in left field tonight, making his seventh start, and batting .318/.348/.727 in 10 games.

Five of Reimold's seven hits are for extra bases - three doubles and two home runs.

"It's a role that can expand, but looking at the schedule early in the season, I didn't think there would be a period where guys would have to sit a long time," Showalter said.

"With the four left-handers we've got in the next five days, the one I'm concerned about a little bit is (Hyun Soo) Kim. But they know we're going to get them in there. There's going to be a spot for them to play consistently for a period of time.

"Nolan's a professional. He's been around us. He knows how it works. And all of a sudden it comes and you've got to be ready when it comes. I look at him in the seventh inning and he's ready to go. He knows. The problem with our bench now, there's just so few moves we can make, especially earlier than the ninth inning."

Chris Tillman retired the Rays in order in the first inning on nine pitches. He induced a pop up from Evan Longoria, who was 17-for-51 (.333) with four doubles and seven home runs against him.

Tillman threw three cutters to Longoria among his four pitches, the last producing the out.

Update: Reimold walked with two outs in the fifth, Schoop singled to right field and Joey Rickard hit a three-run homer to deep left field to break a scoreless tie.

The Orioles scored one run in their last 30 innings. They hadn't homered in their last three.

Rickard was 2-for-22. Schoop was 2-for-31. Time to bust out.