Wrapping up a 6-1 win

The Orioles are 4-0 for the first time since 2011, and a win in their next game would make them 5-0 for the first time since 1970.

Can they run the table?

Tonight's 6-1 win over the Rays gave the Orioles at least four wins in a row to start a season for the eighth time in franchise history.

Chris Tillman rebounded from a shaky first inning to hold the Rays to one run through the fifth.

"It was similar to Ubaldo (Jimenez) last night," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's going to be hard to carry the type of stuff he seemed to have the first outing. He deserved a five-inning win after, I know he was frustrated by not being able to get deeper in that first game.

"We really wanted to be careful with him. Even though he didn't throw but 20 pitches, I thought 83-84 was about enough for him."

Tillman hadn't worked on short rest before tonight, but he was limited to two innings on Monday due to rain.

"I don't look at it like that," Showalter said. "I was worried about him being too strong, being that long. Wally (Dave Wallace) and I thought about sending him back out there for the sixth, but he had a good outing. I didn't want him to get out there, get him to 90 or 100."

T.J. McFarland followed Tillman to the mound and allowed one hit in three scoreless innings, retiring the last nine batters.

"I really wanted to get Mac on the field," Showalter said. "I thought Mac did a great job. What did he face, 10 hitters? He was pretty impressive.

"Mac needed to pitch. We were fortunate to get out there and extend that lead a little bit. Give Mac some breathing room which really works well with his repertoire."

The Orioles beat up on Rays starter Chris Archer, hitting four home runs off him in five innings, including three in the fifth. They really made him work in the fourth, including Matt Wieters' 10-pitch at-bat that concluded with an RBI single.

"Matt had a great at-bat," Showalter said. "Sometimes you don't get a hit and you can win it. We talk about all pitchers, but especially a guy like Archer, you've really got to grind them. And they're not going to make any mistakes. I think guys, it's the product of good at-bats. But you better be ready when you do get a hittable pitch with him so he doesn't beat you more. He's one of the best pitchers in the league. It's tough. But our guys grinded him out."

They hammered him in the fifth, with home runs coming from Jonathan Schoop, Nolan Reimold and Manny Machado. But Showalter tends to focus on other elements that contribute to a win and keep a team in contention.

"I kind of dwell on Chris (Davis) going from first to third on a single to right," he said. "I think about the secondary leads and the things that we worked on in the spring carrying over. The little things like moving up 90 feet. Those are things that allow us to be consistent on some nights.

"You don't sneak up on anybody from a track record standpoint with some of our guys, so it's always impressive to me like when a pitcher, you know what he's going to do and he still does it. And just like hitters, too. You know what their potential is and they're still able to do it and that's what separates guys at this level."

Pedro Alvarez is 0-for-12 with three walks and four strikeouts to start his Orioles career. Is he pressing?

"Yeah, sure. Not in a bad way," Showalter replied.

"I look at all the work he did today at first and third base defensively. Pete takes a lot of confidence in the confidence we have in him and his track record, so there's going to come a time when some guys in other places of the order aren't swinging the bat well and he's going to need to get it going. He's close. He's close."

I wrote earlier today that Vance Worley is the scheduled starter for Sunday as long as Saturday's game isn't postponed. Otherwise, Mike Wright is pushed back another day.

Showalter chose Worley because the right-hander hasn't been used this week.

"With the weather report we have tomorrow, it's kind of iffy," Showalter said. "We have Plan A and Plan B. We wanted to get everyone out there and pitch and everybody has expect Vance. Just thought it would be a good spot for him. He had a work day today, a light one. He needs to get out there and pitch. Think that's the best way for him.

"He's had a lot of back and forth, 'Here's where you're pitching, you're going to start this game.' And I think it's time of him to make a contribution. We've had Willy (Tyler Wilson) throw and he's the only guy really we haven't given an opportunity to yet."

The Orioles are 27-4 when Schoop homers.

Wieters is batting .410/.500/.641 (16-for-39) during a career-high 11-game hitting streak.