Baltimore Orioles: Chris Tillman delivers rare quality start vs. Rangers
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman provided the Orioles with a rare quality start, a feat that has been hard to come by in 2017.
In his first start since June 30, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman delivered his third quality start of the season. In fact, Tillman’s performance Monday night against the Texas Rangers is the first quality start by an Orioles starter since July 2 when Kevin Gausman pitched seven shutout innings.
Tillman’s quality start lifted the Orioles to their first second-half victory, snapping a three-game losing streak. In six innings pitched, Tillman allowed an earned run, two hits and struck out four batters in Monday night’s victory over the Rangers.
The Orioles starting right-handed pitcher returns after being placed on the paternity list, along with an extended All-Star break in efforts to escape from his disastrous first-half. Following a win in his first start of the season, Tillman posted an 8.80 ERA in his next 10 starts to end the first-half with a 0-5 record.
However, it was evident in the first-half that Tillman simply was not healthy yet after he began the season on the DL due to soreness in his right shoulder. As a result, Tillman’s velocity took a noticeable nosedive. His four-seam fastball, sinker, changeup, slider, curveball, and cutter all lost speed compared to 2016.
Despite the no decision, Tillman’s performance is monumental for a starting rotation that has produced just 32 quality starts, an American League worst 5.19 ERA and a .282 opponent batting average.
Meanwhile, in large part to Tillman, the Orioles defeated the Rangers 3-1 Monday night after a nightmarish weekend where they were obliterated and swept by the Chicago Cubs to open the second-half.
Right fielder Seth Smith joined forces with Tillman by smashing the go-ahead home run to lift the Orioles to a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. Ruben Tejada delivered an insurance run later in the inning to give the Orioles a 3-1 win heading into the eighth inning.
Mychal Givens, who has been rumored as untradeable, pitched a perfect eighth inning followed by Brad Brach rather than Orioles foremost closer Zach Britton. Unlike Givens, Britton is in the center of numerous Orioles trade rumors as the MLB Trade Deadline date is 14 days away on July 31 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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Dylan Bundy will look to bounce back and break out of a July slump where he’s allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings pitched, raising his season ERA to 4.33 after a below-average June.