masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgChris Tillman may not have made the All-Star team, but he reminded us today why he was clearly deserving of consideration. Even if he did walk a few more than he wanted to.
Tillman pitched seven strong innings as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 in front of 32,963 at Camden Yards. The O’s hit the All-Star break with a record of 51-36 and a two-game lead atop the American League East.
The righty allowed three hits and one run. He walked five and struck out five and is now 12-2 with a…

Chris Tillman may not have made the All-Star team, but he reminded us today why he was clearly deserving of consideration. Even if he did walk a few more than he wanted to.

Tillman pitched seven strong innings as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 in front of 32,963 at Camden Yards. The O’s hit the All-Star break with a record of 51-36 and a two-game lead atop the American League East.

The righty allowed three hits and one run. He walked five and struck out five and is now 12-2 with a 3.41 ERA. The Orioles are 16-3 in his 19 starts.

At home this season, Tillman improves to 8-0 with an ERA of 3.23 and the Orioles are 12-0 in his outings at Camden Yards in 2016. He has pitched seven innings or more four times in his last seven starts and seven times this season. Zach Britton pitched the ninth today to record his 27th save in 27 chances. It was the lefty’s 100th career save.

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Down 1-0 on Mike Trout’s RBI double in the first, the Orioles took the lead on a Chris Davis two-run homer to left in the last of the fourth. Davis hit an 88 mph fastball on a 2-1 pitch from Tim Lincecum. It was his 22nd homer, and the blast traveled 441 feet. Davis has hit six homers his last 14 games.

It was his 183rd homer as an Oriole. Davis moved out of a tie with Ken Singleton and into eighth place on the club’s all-time list.

The O’s made it 3-1 in the sixth with a gift run. With two outs, a Pedro Alvarez bloop to left fell in and then shortstop Andrelton Simmons threw wildly past second as Alvarez advanced to third. The bloop should have been caught, and proved costly to Los Angeles when J.J. Hardy followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 lead. A two-base error in right field by Mark Trumbo led to an unearned run for the Angels in the eighth to make it 3-2. Hardy’s solo homer in the eighth, which came right after Alvarez was picked off first base, made it a 4-2 game.

The Orioles closed out the first with a half with a 33-14 (.702) home record. They avoided their second series home loss by winning today, and are 11-1-3 in 15 home series. The O’s have won seven of eight and 16 of their last 20 games at Camden Yards.

Five Orioles will head to San Diego for the All-Star Game while the rest of the team takes a break. The season resumes Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla. against the Tampa Bay Rays.