masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgKevin Gausman’s best start as a major league pitcher was last Saturday night against Oakland. Now he’ll try to do that two times in a row.

Gausman went seven innings, allowing just four hits and one run against the A’s. He walked one, fanned six and threw 102 pitches.

After Sunday’s game he got a great compliment from the Oakland clubhouse. The A’s are one of the American League’s highest scoring teams and Branden Moss is one of their middle of the order hitters.

“That guy, I got to…Kevin Gausman’s best start as a major league pitcher was last Saturday night against Oakland. Now he’ll try to do that two times in a row.

Gausman went seven innings, allowing just four hits and one run against the A’s. He walked one, fanned six and threw 102 pitches.

After Sunday’s game he got a great compliment from the Oakland clubhouse. The A’s are one of the American League’s highest scoring teams and Branden Moss is one of their middle of the order hitters.

“That guy, I got to home plate in my first at bat and I looked at (Nick) Hundley and I said, ‘How can that guy be in Triple-A?,'” Moss said. “From what I understand he’s had some command issues but the way he pitched, that was the best stuff we’ve seen all year.

“The first at-bat, you could tell he had (velocity), but you never know how that is going to go. We can adapt to that. Second and third at-bats he started mixing in offspeed for strikes and keeping it down. Then he had 99 in the tank when he needed it.”

Tonight Gausman is on the mound as the Orioles begin a four-game series against first-place Toronto. Gausman made five starts and 15 relief appearances in the majors last year but he said his pitching is better now.

“I think I’m more polished now than last year,” Gausman said. “When I came up earlier (this year) and pitched against Detroit, I just didn’t have my secondary pitches. The biggest difference also was I was able to pitch in for strikes and was being really aggressive. I think Toronto is going to be the same way. Just ready and excited for that.”

Gausman has always had the big fastball, but now he feels his secondary pitches are better.

“Really in every way,” he said. “I didn’t throw a circle change until I got to the big leagues last year and I think it’s one of my better pitches now. My slider has gotten better as the year has gone on. It’s tremendously better than last year. Didn’t throw many sliders the other night, but I really didn’t need to.”

When Gausman began this year in Triple-A Norfolk’s rotation, he focused on getting better and waited for his chance to pitch in the bigs. What was important for him then?

“Just getting into my routine,” Gausman said. “Making sure I got the most out of my bullpens. I have a good relationship with (pitching coach Mike) Griffin down there. Really just polishing everything. Making sure every fifth day I went out there, feeling confident, and feeling good about my mechanics.”

Maybe it’s Gausman’s time to show what he can do has come. For now the Orioles are not saying whether Gausman will be given the ball every five days. Is this latest start tonight yet another big league audition for the club’s 2012 top draft pick?

“I don’t know if I feel like I’m auditioning,” Gausman said. “Obviously if I keep pitching well, I’m going to stay here. If I don’t then I might go somewhere else. Back to Norfolk. When you get the chance to show off what you’ve got, you have to step up to the opportunity.”