masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgChris Davis continues to bat leadoff tonight for the Orioles’ series-opener against the Astros in Houston.
Davis is 0-for-12 with two walks and one strikeout atop the order and manager Buck Showalter contemplated a change before sticking with the experiment for the season’s fourth game.
Pedro Álvarez is the designated hitter tonight.
Chris Tillman has registered a 4.05 ERA and 1.300 WHIP in seven career starts against the Astros over 40 innings. He’s walked 20 batters and struck out…

Chris Davis continues to bat leadoff tonight for the Orioles‘ series-opener against the Astros in Houston.

chris-davis-jog-white.jpgDavis is 0-for-12 with two walks and one strikeout atop the order and manager Buck Showalter contemplated a change before sticking with the experiment for the season’s fourth game.

Pedro Álvarez is the designated hitter tonight.

Chris Tillman has registered a 4.05 ERA and 1.300 WHIP in seven career starts against the Astros over 40 innings. He’s walked 20 batters and struck out 29.

Tillman has made three starts at Minute Maid Park and gone 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 0.871 WHIP in 20 2/3 innings, with only four runs and 11 hits allowed.

Alex Bregman is 3-for-3 with two home runs against Tillman and Evan Gattis is 4-for-8 with two doubles. George Springer is 3-for-15, Jose Altuve is 4-for-19 and Brian McCann is 4-for-18.

Tillman needs two more strikeouts to tie Mike Boddicker and Sidney Ponson for 10th place in club history with 836.

Astros right-hander Charlie Morton is 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA and 2.455 WHIP in two career starts against the Orioles, with eight earned runs (11 total) and 15 hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Colby Rasmus is 7-for-14 with a home run against Morton. Tim Beckham is 2-for-2 with a triple. Danny Valencia is 1-for-9 with five strikeouts.

Rasmus and Beckham are in the lineup.

For the Orioles
Chris Davis 1B
Manny Machado SS
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Adam Jones CF
Trey Mancini LF
Colby Rasmus RF
Tim Beckham 3B
Pedro Álvarez DH
Caleb Joseph C

Chris Tillman RHP

For the Astros
George Springer CF
Alex Bregman 3B
Jose Altuve 2B
Carlos Correa SS
Josh Reddick RF
Marwin Gonzalez 1B
Evan Gattis DH
Brian McCann C
Derek Fisher LF

Charlie Morton RHP

MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski is in Houston. I’ll join the team in New York because I’m craving more snow.