Tillman outpitches Tanaka as O's take series finale 8-0

The Orioles had to figure that if they were going to beat Masahiro Tanaka today, they would need some timely hits and a big game from Chris Tillman. They got both this afternoon as Tillman pitched seven scoreless innings in an 8-0 win over the Yankees in front of 47,493 at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles scored seven runs over the final three innings to break open a tense pitchers' duel. With the win, the Orioles complete a 4-2 road trip and improve to 39-35. Coupled with Toronto's loss at Cincinnati today, the Orioles and Yankees are tied for second place, 1 1/2 games out in the American League East. The Orioles are now 21-13 in AL East games and have not lost a series in the division since April 11-13. The Orioles are 6-0-2 in their last eight AL East series. The Orioles broke open a close 3-0 game with a four-run eighth inning as they improved to 4-2 this season against New York. They have won both series at New York this year after going 0-3 in series there in 2013. Tillman outdueled Tanaka, allowing four hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Tillman threw 114 pitches, improving to 6-4 with an ERA of 4.45. Over his last three starts, Tillman has allowed just four runs over 20 innings for an ERA of 1.80. O's starters have pitched to an ERA of 2.40 with 12 quality starts over the last 16 games. Tanaka was handed just his second loss of the season to fall to 11-2 with an ERA of 2.11. He gave up six hits and three runs over seven innings. The Yankees fall to 12-3 in Tanaka's 15 starts and 0-2 in his two starts against the Orioles. Schoop homered to left on a Tanaka slider over the outside corner to make it 1-0 in the second. Schoop hit a 2-2 pitch for his sixth homer and his second in two games against Tanaka. He hit a three-run shot off the right-hander on April 9. The tense 1-0 game turned into a 3-0 contest when the O's scored twice in the top of the seventh. J.J. Hardy led off with a single and went to third on Manny Machado's double. Schoop's groundout made it 2-0. Caleb Joseph, after fouling off a bunt on a squeeze attempt, which would have worked, delivered a sac fly to center for the 3-0 edge. The Orioles blew the game open in the eighth when Hardy produced a bases-loaded double and scored on Machado's single. Joseph plated the Orioles' final run when he hit his first major league homer, a solo shot off David Huff in the top of the ninth. The bottom of the order came through today as the Nos. 6-9 hitters combined for all eight RBIs. The Orioles now return home to begin an 11-game homestand Monday night against the Chicago White Sox. Wei-Yin Chen (7-2, 3.78 ERA) faces Chris Sale (6-1, 2.20 ERA) at 7:05 p.m.