Wrapping up 6-4 win (with video of Kim home run)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

May 29, 2016, 1:49pm

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CLEVELAND - The Orioles won today's game at Progressive Field because Chris Tillman gutted out six innings while the bullpen was minus a long reliever.

They won because Hyun Soo Kim hit his first major league home run to break a 4-4 tie with two outs in the top of the seventh inning.

They won because Darren O'Day escaped a humongous jam in the eighth with back-to-back strikeouts of Lonnie Chisenhall and Yan Gomes.

They won because closer Zach Britton struck out Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor in succession for his 14th save in as many tries after giving up singles to the first two batters he faced.

So many clutch performances and moments adding up to a 6-4 victory over the Indians and allowing the Orioles to win two of three series on their trip.

Let's start with Kim, who got around on Jeff Manship's fastball with two outs in the seventh and drove it into the right field seats.

"I can't lie that I wasn't looking for one, but I was mainly focused on making a good hit with good contact and hit the ball as hard as possible. That was my main focus," Kim said through interpreter Danny Lee.

"I was really excited to have my first home run to make a contribution to the team win. That was the main thing that made me happy. I would have been still been happy if the home run came in the situation that doesn't decide the win or loss, but because it actually helped the team to win, it really made me happy."

So did the silent treatment that he received in the dugout.

Kim handled it like a pro, simulating high-fives as he walked down the steps and was totally ignored.

"I've seen a reaction like that in Korea, so I was aware of it, so I thought maybe I should just step back until they react," he said.

The Orioles retrieved the ball and it sat on manager Buck Showalter's desk.

"I'm not too concerned about collectibles," Kim said. "I'll focus on tomorrow's game. There are a lot more to go from here. I'll focus on the game and perform every day and not just living in the past."

Kim went 7-for-18 on the road trip. Today marked his fifth consecutive start.

"It's definitely helping me a lot to prepare, knowing that I'm going to start for the game," he said. "I'm basically getting ready for every game knowing that I'm starting."

Showalter is known to take in moments as he gets older. Kim's home run provided another opportunity.

"I think his teammates are happier than he is. He's hit a home run before," Showalter said. "They're doing some things up there right now. I'm trying to stall you all. But that was fun. And to be a W, one that kind of helped decide the game, it was pretty cool to watch. He collided with one and ran into it and ran like he'd never hit one before. But that was cool.

"We got the ball. Bribed somebody in the outfield. I'm sure we paid dearly for it. I've got it on my desk. I hope it's still there. I've got three things I've got to give out from this trip. I've got to give the lineup card to (Dylan) Bundy, the ball to Kim and lineup card to (Ashur) Tolliver. We don't give them to them because they wouldn't get home with them in the right shape, so we'll carry them back in the trunk."

Showalter played along with the silent treatment and stared out at the field as Kim walked past him into the dugout.

"I hate that, OK?" Showalter said. "I'm sitting there and he comes by me. First of all, we know he's a sharp guy. He had it figured out about halfway to home, I think. He handled it well. Even the interpreter did. He might not have a job tomorrow because he hires him basically. That was pretty good."

The battle between O'Day and Chisenhall was epic. It came with the bases loaded and one out after an intentional walk to Jose Ramirez. It included nine pitches, with Chisenhall fouling off six in a row before a called third strike.

Chisenhall was 2-for-4 with a home run lifetime against O'Day, who entered the game after Brad Brach surrendered a leadoff single to Marlon Byrd and a double to Rajai Davis with the Orioles clinging to a one-run lead. It grew to 6-4 in the ninth on Nolan Reimold's leadoff home run off former Oriole Tommy Hunter.

"Chisenhall's had some luck off him," Showalter said. "I like Darren against anybody, but it was cat and mouse. He was trying to elevate a fastball and he knows he's got to pitch him in because he's going to hook everything with his arm angle. It was a gutsy pitch to throw probably a backdoor breaking ball, I'd imagine. Maybe the only time he threw it. It was gutsy.

"Brad was really good. So was Zach, of course. It's not easy to just throw your hat out there and get hitters out, especially as good an offensive team as they are. They don't even have everybody with them. I'm glad we're not playing them for a while."

Showalter wanted to avoid using O'Day, who was feeling ill, but ran him out there in the eighth and was rewarded.

"Yeah, that's what being a reliever is all about, just getting out of situations like that," O'Day said. "I'm really happy that I could pitch my best, that I could get in there and help Brad out. He's helped me so many times and helped the team out. Obviously a good win against a good team."

Also, a great at-bat by Chisenhall that ended in O'Day's favor.

"You've got to give credit to Matt Wieters," O'Day said. "He called a great sequence. We didn't want to give in to him. We had some tough at bats before where I located some really good pitches and he still hit them. We had an idea of how we wanted to get him out. We didn't give in. He fouled off some really good pitches and then I think the back-door slider I threw him just really surprised him. It wasn't a particularly good one. It just surprised him.

"I'm sure Lonnie and I will face off again. He's a good hitter, so I was excited to get him out. It was the biggest out of the inning.

"If he hits a fly ball there, it's not the end of the game. It's a tied game, so that was the worst we were going for. These hitters have been around a while, so I've faced a lot of these hitters. There's no secret how I throw, so sequence does matter. You try to mix it up. He won't throw three in a row. He won't throw four in a row, five in a row. You throw a bunch of high fastballs there and you depend on your catcher to recognize when to try something else.

"Wheaty made a nice call. He called a great inning for me, so you've got to give him credit for keeping those hitters guessing."

O'Day joked about inheriting a mess.

"Usually when I come in, it's a clean inning and I make it a bases-loaded situation," he said. "I'm used to being in those situations. You take it one pitch at a time. That's all you can do. It's tough, but that's what relief pitching is all about, stranding runners and keeping your cool when the hitter is also anxious to get the job done."

Nothing that Tillman hasn't seen before from O'Day.

"He's done that the whole time he's been here," Tillman said. "He's one of the best in the game at getting us out of some sticky situations. It's fun to watch. I don't know how he does it. He's got to teach me a thing or two. He constantly makes pitches."

Tillman surrendered three home runs, matching his season total, but he made it through the sixth on 96 pitches and earned the win after Kim's home run provided the lead.

"It's our second sweltering day. It's sticky," Showalter said. "I was prepared to take him 100-plus today if I had to because he's physically able to do it, but we got to the point where they were in the lineup and took a shot at it with three guys in the bullpen."

A bullpen that didn't have a true long man after Vance Worley worked 4 1/3 innings yesterday. Tyler Wilson would have been used early if needed, but instead is able to make Monday night's start against the Red Sox at Camden Yards.

"You're walking through landmines there the whole game and you knew they were going to make a run at you because they're just too good an offensive team," Showalter said.

Tillman improved to 7-1 with a 2.92 ERA.

"I would have liked to get a little deeper there," he said. "That's a good hitting ballclub. They made some adjustments and they put a lot of good swings on some pitches. One through nine it's a pretty solid team. I would like to get deeper, but it is what it is. Sometimes, they don't cooperate."

Tillman went along with the plan to freeze out Kim as he sat in the dugout. He just didn't know who organized it.

"I just heard someone scream it," he said. "It was a good one. It was tough on me. He was standing right next to me."

Tillman had just been told that he was done for the day. He would have settled for a no-decision if Kim hadn't homered.

"Awesome, awesome," he said. "He came up with a big swing for there, a big at-bat for us. Got us back on top. Not a better feeling in baseball."

The flight home has to be more enjoyable after going 4-5 on the trip but still taking two of three series.

"It's half full, half empty," Showalter said. "It's behind us and we're moving on. I don't look at it any way. I don't. Somebody will say you won two out of three series and somebody will say you got beat three times in Houston. It's a half dozen to six, whatever that expression is. So close the door, get on the plane and sleep real fast for our three hours sleep and play again.

"I'm real proud of that. The start times and all the things that are going on, and we know what it's about. We're supposed to be a traveling entertainment group. Some nights it's not as entertaining as others. So we'll see if we can entertain tomorrow. We know Boston will."