Showalter talks rotation (plus a game update)

OAKLAND, Calif. - Orioles starting pitchers have been pitching better. We have the games and the stats to show us that. But manager Buck Showalter has been reluctant to say his rotation has turned any corners.

There is good reason for that probably. He has seen the rotation pitch so poorly for most of this year.

But coming into today's game, O's starters have allowed two earned runs or less 10 times in the past 15 games, pitching to an ERA of 2.64 in that span. They have nine quality starts in those 15 games.

"We've been doing better, pitching more to our track record, which we've felt confident of," Showalter said today. "But it's another day today. It's hard to do. There are so many variables that come into play. It has (been better). It's one of the reasons we've gotten back into the competition."

Showalter's answer was short and to the point when a reporter asked what would be the key to the Orioles claiming a wild card playoff spot.

"Pitching. Pitching. It always does (come down to that)," he said.

Another early lead: The Orioles picked up where they left off last night in scoring more runs this afternoon at the Oakland Colisuem. They got single runs in the first and second to take the early 2-0 lead.

Third baseman Manny Machado hit a fly ball along the right-field line in the first inning and Matt Joyce dove. It got behind him and went for a triple. Jonathan Schoop's line drive single to center scored Machado for a 1-0 lead on Schoop's 85th RBI.

An inning later, Mark Trumbo led off with a double and scored on a Chris Davis single for a 2-0 lead. Davis has three RBIs the past two games. The O's put two on with no outs in the third, but didn't score.

Jeremy Hellickson buzzed through the first three innings on just 24 pitches, allowing one single. He threw six pitches in the first, eight in the second and 10 in the third.

Not leading now: After buzzing through three, Hellickson gave up five runs in the last of the fourth. Ryon Healy doubled home one, a fielder's choice where Chris Davis threw home late scored another. A three-run homer by Matt Chapman turned a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 Oakland lead.

In the sixth: Oakland added to the lead. Matt Joyce with a leadoff double, he stole third and scored on Marcus Semien's sac fly. That made it 6-2.

Richard Bleier replaced Hellickson after a leadoff walk in the sixth. Hellickson went five innings, allowing five hits and six runs.