masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTremendous outing by Jason Berken, who shut out the Twins on two hits over four innings in the Orioles’ 4-3 loss. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three.

Berken lowered his ERA to 2.84 on a night that Chris Tillman labored. David Hernadez starts tomorrow against the Red Sox.

Is the competition for the fifth starter’s job really over or is there still time for Berken or Hernandez to force the issue?

Manager Dave Trembley praised Berken and the way Nolan Reimold ran the bases and…Tremendous outing by Jason Berken, who shut out the Twins on two hits over four innings in the Orioles’ 4-3 loss. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three.

Berken lowered his ERA to 2.84 on a night that Chris Tillman labored. David Hernadez starts tomorrow against the Red Sox.

Is the competition for the fifth starter’s job really over or is there still time for Berken or Hernandez to force the issue?

Manager Dave Trembley praised Berken and the way Nolan Reimold ran the bases and played the outfield in his post-game comments to the media. He also seemed relieved to have Brian Roberts back in the lineup.

“Roberts was fine,” Trembley said. “He got out there, he had a smile on his face in the dugout. Real upbeat. Great to have him out there.”

Tillman’s tempo in the early innings “wasn’t where it needed to be,” Trembley said.

“Too many three-ball counts, pitched from behind. Seemed to pick up the tempo after the third and was better after that.

“The pace of the game right from the first three innings was poor. And he was the guy on the mound. His pace was poor. If he was hard on himself, he had every right to be. After the third, I give him credit, he picked it up and got it in gear and was much better. His ratio of balls and strikes improved, too. It’s no secret why that happened and the other happened.”