masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBilly Butler continues to torment Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. Jonathan Schoop continues to swing a hot bat against everyone.
Butler led off the bottom of the second inning today with a double down the right field line. He’s now 9-for-20 lifetime against Chen, with three doubles, a triple and two home runs.
Schoop led off the top of the third with a double and scored on Nolan Reimold’s single. Schoop has nine hits in his last 15 at-bats over five games.
Reimold was 5-for-31 vs….

Billy Butler continues to torment Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. Jonathan Schoop continues to swing a hot bat against everyone.

Butler led off the bottom of the second inning today with a double down the right field line. He’s now 9-for-20 lifetime against Chen, with three doubles, a triple and two home runs.

Schoop led off the top of the third with a double and scored on Nolan Reimold’s single. Schoop has nine hits in his last 15 at-bats over five games.

tillman-pitch-gray-close-sidebar.jpgReimold was 5-for-31 vs. right-handers before today.

The Orioles are 11-4 in rubber games, tops in the majors.

I wrote earlier that the Angels have announced two of their starters for the weekend series in Anaheim. Andrew Heaney (5-1, 1.97 ERA) takes the mound on Friday night, followed by Garrett Richards (11-8, 3.46 ERA) on Saturday. They don’t have a starter listed for Sunday.

What about the Orioles?

Chris Tillman was supposed to start on Friday if his left ankle responded favorably to today’s bullpen session in Oakland. However, Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters during a pregame session that aired on MASN that it may be “a little bit of a push” for Tillman to open the series in Anaheim.

In other words, it’s not likely to happen, but don’t completely dismiss it.

Showalter added that the rotation would stay in turn without Tillman. In that case, the Orioles would send Kevin Gausman, Ubaldo Jimenez and Miguel Gonzalez to the mound.

The off-day on Thursday arrives at a convenient time. The schedule actually works in the Orioles favor here.

Would Tillman go on the disabled list, with Tyler Wilson coming back up to replace him? Would Tillman simply be pushed back to the Mariners series, with no roster move necessary?

The latter scenario actually works, especially with Tillman being 6-0 with a 2.09 ERA lifetime against the Mariners. He’s allowed one run and five hits in 14 1/3 innings over two starts at Safeco Field, with two walks and 11 strikeouts.

Update: The Orioles announced that Gausman will start Friday and Jimenez on Saturday against the Angels. Sunday remains TBD, with Tillman a possibility.

Tillman also has great numbers against the Angels. He’s 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four career starts against the Angels and he’s allowed one run in 14 innings in their ballpark.

Update II: Chris Davis’ fifth career grand slam in the top of the 10th inning gave the Orioles a 7-3 victory over the Athletics and a series win.

Zach Britton gets the win in relief.

This is the first Orioles’ grand slam in extra innings since Matt Wieters on April 18, 2013.