Tillman and Jones comment after the O's loss to Boston

After not making it through the second inning in two of his last four starts, Chris Tillman took a step forward tonight. The O's right-hander struggled at times early, but gave up just one run and seven hits over six innings, and took the loss as Boston beat the Orioles 1-0 at Camden Yards. "Little better," Tillman said. "I was able to get into a rhythm there later. Early struggles, still better, but it got better late in the game. Made some bad pitches early, but worked my way out of it." There were two rain delays in the game, but Tillman came back after the second one that lasted an hour and 18 minutes. "I won't say it's difficult, just different," Tillman said of the delay. "You have to learn and adjust and it's the first time I've done that." Tillman did not give up any runs in the first two innings tonight, but Boston did get on the board in the third. Tillman is now 0-3 but with an ERA of 2.51 at Camden Yards this season. He had pitched to an ERA of 12.56 over his previous four starts, so he has a good outing to take into his next start. "You always expect to pitch well," he said. "Tough conditions tonight for both teams, but you won't hear any excuses from us or them either. Was able to execute some pitches late in the game. Good to see it coming. It's promising." Adam Jones agreed with that point. "He's tough with men in scoring position," Jones said. "We just want all our pitchers to go after the hitters and use our defense. The main thing is competing. Give us everything you have so we can give you everything we have. "I know he's had some tough starts, but there are major league hitters in the box that make him work. That's the maturation part that comes along with being an ace." Brandon Workman took a no-hitter into the sixth tonight before Ryan Flaherty singled with two outs. It was the only O's hit off Workman and just one of two in the game. "Threw strikes and kept the ball out of the middle of the plate," Jones said of Workman. "That curveball was working for him. Whatever plan that he and (catcher A.J.) Pierzynski had going, it worked. They made some nice defensive plays, that goes along with good pitching. Hey, get the series tomorrow." The Orioles can't seem to get on a roll and have been in a win one, lose one mode for much of this season. The pursuit of a win streak continues again Wednesday night. "You know me, the way it's been around here the last six or seven years," Jones said. "We play the game hard, we play the game right. We live with the results. Tonight wasn't our night. We live with it." Jones has served as the designated hitter the last two nights. Will he back back in center in the series finale? "I might be a permanent DH. No, I'm too bored, I'll be in center," he said. Tonight's game was the fourth in the history of the Orioles-Red Sox series that both teams failed to produce an extra-base hit. This also happened May 31, 1956, July 26, 1961 and Sept. 2, 1974. The Orioles had a six-game win streak against AL East opponents snapped. It was their longest since seven in a row from May 1-12, 2012.



Cleaning out my notebook
Showalter talks about Tillman and 1-0 loss
 

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