Tillman to start Monday night at Double-A Bowie (O's lead 12-5)

BOSTON - Chris Tillman will start Monday night at Double-A Bowie to begin his injury rehab assignment. He's slated to work three innings if his pitch count allows it.

The discomfort hasn't returned to Tillman's right shoulder and he feels good after yesterday's two-inning start at extended spring training.

"He's ready to go," said manager Buck Showalter. "He's going to take his work day in (Sarasota) and his next outing will be in Bowie. That's good news."

The Orioles are expected to transfer Tillman to Single-A Frederick following the start in Bowie. He could be ready to come off the disabled list on May 2 or 7.

Showalter said outfielder Joey Rickard is making "steady improvement" after spraining the middle finger on his left hand in Saturday's game.

"He's got a shot at that second day in Cincinnati, I hope, if he continues down this path," Showalter said.

Showalter explained that Trey Mancini is starting in left field mainly to keep Hyun Soo Kim away from knuckleballer Steven Wright. Kim's experience with the pitch is limited and he's 0-for-6 versus Wright.

"More of that," Showalter said. "I'd like to give Trey three days in a row, too. He'll play tomorrow with the left-hander (Francisco Liriano). Try to let him get some consistent at-bats.

"I remember talking to Kim last time about knuckleballers in Korea. He hadn't seen any."

Kim went 0-for-17 in 22 plate appearances against left-handers as a major league rookie and hasn't faced one this season. He's still in a platoon situation, though Showalter has indicated that Kim eventually could get a chance to broaden his batting resume.

"It's a circumstantial thing early in the season," Showalter said. "That opportunity at some point, I think, has got a chance to present itself, but I wouldn't weigh too much on one day and six or seven games into the season."

Still no announcement on Saturday's starter, but it's evident that Showalter is choosing between Alec Asher and left-hander Jayson Aquino. Both pitchers are on the 40-man roster.

Gabriel Ynoa is starting tonight at Triple-A Norfolk.

Showalter's pregame session in his office attracted a bunch of Red Sox media members, and CSN New England reporter Evan Drellich pressed him on yesterday's comments regarding his team not advertising its illnesses - an apparent swipe at the Red Sox.

"The Red Sox are the only ones who have it?" Showalter asked. "I didn't know that. Nobody else has it? No, everybody in the whole league's got it. It just seems to get broadcast more here."

This opener led to the following exchange:

Drellich: "Do you think that's because they're seeking pity?"

Showalter: "Seeking pity? No. Everybody has challenges like they do. Heavens no. They're deep and they've had some issues like all clubs do, like issues of life. Whether it be bereavement, whether it be paternity, whether it be sickness, whether it be injury. These are things people grind through and they do a great job with it."

Drellich: "Do you think there would be a reasonable way for them not to talk about it as much as they did when a guy doesn't show up?"

Showalter: "No, I'd talk about it, too, when a guy doesn't show up at the park. Wouldn't you? No, I'd do it the same way."

Drellich: (after other questions were asked): "Buck, are you trying to needle the Red Sox?"

Showalter: "Am I trying to needle the Red Sox? No, that's ridiculous. But I appreciate you trying to go down that road. That's typical. What else?"

Drellich: "Well, your commentary yesterday would suggest that."

Showalter: "No, I don't think it would. That's how you read it. It wasn't meant that way. What else?"

Update: The Orioles scored six runs on six hits and a hit batter in the top of the first inning. Mancini hit a three-run homer and Jonathan Schoop followed with a solo shot, as the Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate and worked Wright for 27 pitches.

Update II: Adam Jones led off the second inning with his 224th home run as an Oriole, moving past Rafael Palmeiro for fifth place on the all-time list. Chris Davis added a solo shot with one out and Wright was done.

Four home runs in 1 1/3 innings and an 8-0 lead.

Update III: Mancini homered again leading off the top of the third to give the Orioles a 9-0 lead. Andrew Benintendi had a sacrifice fly in the bottom half after Young's leadoff double and Sandy Leon's infield hit.

Ubaldo Jiménez has thrown 60 pitches in three innings.

Update IV: The Red Sox scored three runs in the fourth, the last two on Pablo Sandoval's homer, to reduce the lead to 9-4.

Update V: Jimenez was charged with five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two batters, struck out one and gave up a home run. He threw 104 pitches, the last a walk to Mitch Moreland that loaded the bases with one out in the fifth.

Bogaerts singled off Michal Givens to drive in a run, but a strikeout and fly ball ended the inning.

Update VI: Welington Castillo's two-run double in the seventh and Schoop's RBI single increased the lead to 12-5.