masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBOSTON – Orioles manager Buck Showalter won’t commit to a five- or a six-man rotation for the final week of the season. It’s a work in progress.
Chris Tillman is the confirmed starter for Monday night’s series opener against the Blue Jays that begins the last homestand of the season. He’s 0-4 with a 15.50 ERA in five starts against Toronto this season, but he’s getting another shot.
Miguel Gonzalez starts Tuesday in his first outing since Aug. 30 in Texas. He’s 2-5 with a 6.04 ERA and…

BOSTON – Orioles manager Buck Showalter won’t commit to a five- or a six-man rotation for the final week of the season. It’s a work in progress.

Chris Tillman is the confirmed starter for Monday night’s series opener against the Blue Jays that begins the last homestand of the season. He’s 0-4 with a 15.50 ERA in five starts against Toronto this season, but he’s getting another shot.

Miguel Gonzalez starts Tuesday in his first outing since Aug. 30 in Texas. He’s 2-5 with a 6.04 ERA and 1.636 WHIP in nine second-half starts.

chen-face-on-white-pitching-sidebar.jpgKevin Gausman makes his final start of the season on Wednesday, but Showalter hasn’t decided on Thursday. He’d probably like to push back Wei-Yin Chen to Friday and avoid having the left-hander face the Blue Jays. That’s been the plan up to this point.

Chen is 3-5 with a 4.88 ERA in 13 career starts against the Yankees and 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays.

Showalter could go with a six-man rotation and insert rookie Tyler Wilson as Thursday’s starter. Wilson made a decent showing on Thursday at Nationals Park and held the Jays to one run over 5 2/3 relief innings on June 19 at Rogers Centre.

Asked about six starters, Showalter replied, “I doubt it. I don’t know. Trying to get through today and see where we are tomorrow.

“I know who’s pitching against Toronto the first three days. See where we are at the end. We could. A lot depends on how Miguel does and how deep he gets and how many guys we have to use out of the ‘pen. He’s capable of going nine. He had a good sim game.”

The Orioles continue to trail the Red Sox 1-0 as we head to the bottom of the third. Chris Davis singled with two outs in the first, Gerardo Parra walked with two outs in the second and Nolan Reimold reached on shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ error with one out in the third.

Ubaldo Jimenez recovered from his 22-pitch first inning to retire the Red Sox in order with two strikeouts in the second. He’s at 38 pitches.

Update: Blake Swihart led off the bottom of the third with a home run to give Boston a 2-0 lead.

Update II: The Orioles lose to the Red Sox 2-0 and are shut out in three straight games for the first time since July 29-31 1957. This is the first time it’s happened against one opponent.

The Orioles haven’t scored in the last 28 innings, their longest streak of the season. They’ve been swept at Fenway Park for the first time since July 7-10, 2011.

Jimenez allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, with one walk, six strikeouts, a home run and a wild pitch. He threw 102 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Zach Britton tossed a scoreless eighth inning in his first appearance since last Sunday.

The Orioles must go 6-1 to finish above .500.