Struggling starters set sluggish pace (O's win 7-3)

Chris Davis crushed a 91 mph fastball tonight from Braves starter Julio Teheran, his three-run homer giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Davis easily reached the seats in center field for his team-leading 23rd home run to go with his team-leading 63 RBIs. And the Orioles aren't interested in trading him at the non-waiver deadline.

Neither team is interested in picking up the pace of this game.

The Orioles sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and worked Teheran for 33 pitches. Ross Detwiler warmed in the bullpen as Caleb Joseph walked to load the bases with two outs. Ryan Flaherty grounded into a force.

Former Oriole Nick Markakis received another standing ovation tonight as he stepped to the plate in the top of the first inning.

Markakis lined the first pitch from Ubaldo Jimenez into center field for a single. He must be slumping. No full count.

Is Jimenez slumping? He allowed four runs in the first inning in his last start at Yankee Stadium, and he fell behind 2-0 in the first tonight on Freddie Freeman's two-run homer.

Freeman was awarded a triple before a crew chief challenge changed the call, giving Freeman his 13th home run of the season. I thought the delay was caused by Angel Hernandez wanting to call it a strike.

Jimenez allowed four hits in the inning, drilled a batter and threw 25 pitches. The Braves loaded the bases with two outs, but Chris Johnson swung at the first pitch and flied to center field.

In his two previous starts since the break, Jimenez allowed 14 runs and 15 hits over seven innings. He was 0-2 with an 18.00 and 2.571 WHIP, and opponents were batting .417.

What happened? Fastball command is a prime issue.

The Orioles' lineup raised plenty of questions from fans and followers regarding the absence of Nolan Reimold, who's reached base seven times in the last two games.

I believe in sticking with the hot hand, but as I pointed out this morning, left-handers are batting .308 against Teheran and right-handers are batting .232. Manager Buck Showalter stacked his lineup with lefties, including Travis Snider, who's batting fifth despite being 2-for-31 with no RBIs this month.

Reimold would have been assured a spot in Wednesday night's lineup before the Braves placed left-hander Manny Banuelos, their scheduled starter, on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation.

The Braves are expected to call up right-hander Mike Foltynewicz to make the start, which could keep Reimold on the bench. We'll see.

Manny Machado returned to the leadoff spot tonight and lined a single into left field in the bottom of the first. He was hitless in his last 13 at-bats.

Jimmy Paredes walked, Adam Jones lined to first and Davis unloaded on Teheran to move the Orioles ahead.

Snider was hit on the foot - umpires also had to review that one before getting the call right - J.J.Hardy lined to short and Chris Parmelee and Joseph walked.

I don't get the sense that the teams are done scoring.

Update: And sure enough...

Davis produced his 10th career multi-homer game with a two-run shot in the second after Jones singled. Orioles 5, Braves 2

Update II: Joseph delivered an RBI single in the fifth off former Nationals reliever Ross Detwiler to score Hardy, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single. Orioles 6, Braves 2

The Orioles are 32-5 when Joseph has an RBI.

Jimenez has thrown 80 pitches in five innings and retired 12 of his last 13. He hasn't surrendered a hit since the first inning.

Update III: Jones followed an error, which allowed Machado to reach, and a Paredes single with an RBI double to increase the lead to 7-2 in the sixth inning.

Jimenez has retired 15 of the last 16 batters.

Update IV: Jimenez retired 18 of his last 20 batters and didn't allow a hit after the first inning. He's charged with two runs and four hits in seven innings, with three walks, three strikeouts, a home run, a wild pitch and a hit batter. He threw 106 pitches, 62 for strikes.

Update V: Game over. The Orioles defeat the Braves 7-3 before 28,592 to assure a series win.

The Orioles (50-49) have won four in a row and are above .500 for the first time since July 19. They now have sole possession of second place in the American League East.