Showalter speaks after 6-2 win

The Orioles have won seven of their last eight games and are within five of the Yankees for first place in the American League East.

The Twins rallied tonight to defeat the Mariners and stay one game ahead of the Orioles for the second wild card.

Buckle up.

Kevin Gausman held the Tigers to two runs over seven innings, Brad Brach worked two scoreless, and Caleb Joseph and Manny Machado homered in a 6-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 45,968 at Camden Yards.

Brach hasn't allowed a run in his last 11 appearances, one short of his career high on July 31-Aug. 28, 2014.

Left fielder Gerardo Parra doubled and walked in four plate appearances while becoming the 1,000th player to appear in a game for the Orioles. Manager Buck Showalter sounded more impressed by his walk in the seventh inning off left-hander Blaine Hardy.

"Had a really good at-bat off the left-hander, I thought," Showalter said after the Orioles moved three games above .500 for the first time since July 6. "Spitting on the changeup there 3-2. Selective. Very calm. I like the calmness of it. Nice little pick-me-up.

"I thought Kevin was real good. Brad Brach pitching two innings puts us in a position to do some things tomorrow that we normally wouldn't do. Not having to use Darren (O'Day) or Zach (Britton) there, that was big, because both of those guys I was hoping to stay away from if I could. Especially with a long road trip coming up."

Parra received a prolonged standing ovation before his first at-bat.

"Our fans are very knowledgable. They're on it," Showalter said. "Just about the only thing, you used to let a guy warm up and then go out and take him out of the game so the fans could react, like with Gaus, but you can't do it anymore. But they're locked into it.

"Kind of got delayed a day. I actually thought about putting him in the game once he got here yesterday, but let him start fresh tonight."

Matt Wieters' second major league start at first base went smoothly.

"I thought Matt had a couple big hits for us tonight," Showalter said. "Got his feet wet at first base. Those are some big feet. Just trying to get that initial game out of the way and give us some options. We've got a couple guys, third catchers, who we can run back there if something happens to Caleb (Joseph). You can figure out who they are."

Gausman has allowed two runs and 10 hits in his last two starts over 14 2/3 innings, with one walk and 11 strikeouts.

"Just maturity level," Showalter said. "I was looking at his innings. His high innings are 158 with us, where he is this year combined. He's right on. He's got a pretty fresh arm going right now. But I've got to tell you, he didn't get much help. There were five or six, I'll be nice and say borderline pitches, he didn't get that I thought could have made it even better than it was. But he was really good. He attacked and had a good feel for all his pitches."

Machado hit his 23rd home run and stole his 15th base.

"The stat I like is he's contributing to wins," Showalter said. "He made a heck of a play. Sometimes we miss how hard it is to see the ball off the bat. Manny got a great jump on the ball that he couldn't quite finish the play on.

"Guys who give themselves a chance to have success, nothing really surprises me. I say this all the time, this guy is going to be as good as he's capable of being. The only thing I concern myself with is making sure we're able to surround him with the people that allow him to do to that."

Tonight's win seemed like a breeze compared to last night, when they had to rally from six runs down.

"Anxiety comes from not feeling like you're capable of doing something," Showalter said. "This is a really good offensive team. Statistically maybe the best in baseball. You can't let your guard down at any time. There's a crooked number waiting on you.

"We pitched real well tonight. You look at the numbers we're given up the previous two games, there was some good pitching in that. It just wasn't from people that are capable of a lot better."