Chris Tillman

When Orioles starter Chris Tillman left Sunday’s game against the Nationals, he had surrendered just one earned run. It was the fourth time in five starts and the fifth time this season that the 23-year-old right-hander had allowed one run or fewer, but he labored all afternoon and could only give the Orioles five innings. That has been a reoccurring theme for Tillman as he continues to develop at the major-league level. He has given up two earned runs total in his past three starts, lowering his ERA from 7.16 on May 5 to 4.95.

Today has turned into a wild Wednesday for the Orioles at Camden Yards. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before today's game that it's "pretty realistic" that right-hander Jason Hammel will miss his next start tomorrow with right-knee soreness. Hammel, one of the best early-season stories in baseball, has anchored the Orioles' starting rotation with a 4-1 ERA with 2.09 ERA in six starts. Showalter said Hammel received an MRI within the past few days that showed no structural damage and Showalter said he believes Hammel can still avoid a DL stint.  If Hammel can't pitch, the Orioles will need to recall starter for both Thursday's and Friday's games from Triple-A Norfolk.

Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman knew  this morning he'd be pitching five innings in a minor-league game on Sunday to continue to stretch out his arm. He didn't know he'd be officially doing it as a member of Orioles minor-league camp. Tillman was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk Saturday morning before the Orioles' road Grapefruit League game against the Pirates in Bradenton. He will open the season as a starter at Norfolk. The move also leaves 15 pitchers for 12 spots.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew that at some point, his team's depth would be tested. And now in the fifth week of this young season, Showalter has his first true test: shuffling his roster throughout a sudden rash of injuries. The biggest - and most worrisome one - is right-hander Jason Hammel's right-knee soreness that will force the Orioles to push back his next start, which was scheduled for Thursday. Hammel said the soreness has gotten worse over his past two or three starts and has started to affect his delivery.

— Josh Bell knew his first time in the major leagues wouldn't last long, so he harbors no disappointment that he didn't play much. "I think the competitor in me, I want to just play," said Bell, who officially will be sent back to Triple-A Norfolk when Chris Tillman is activated to start Saturday's game. "But I have been having a blast being here and being in the big leagues. So I have no problem with sitting and waiting for my opportunities." Bell started just four games — two at third base and two at designated hitter — since being promoted July 1 and immediately making his major-league debut.

BOWIE -- As a pitcher at the Double-A level who turned 20 last month, Chris Tillman has just a couple of consistencies in his professional life: the effusive praise and lofty expectations that follow him from one ballpark to the next. It doesn't matter whether he strings together scoreless innings or abruptly loses his command. The opinions never seem to change. Tillman, acquired by the Orioles in the Erik Bedard trade with the Seattle Mariners, allowed one hit over six innings in his most recent start with the Bowie Baysox.

Trade Deadline Special 5 p.m. [MLB Network] Watch breathless commentary about the trade of Roy Halladay (left) to the White Sox/Dodgers/Angels/Red Sox/Cardinals, etc. Whoever the Blue Jays get back in the many-for-one deal, it won't top the Orioles' haul of Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, George Sherrill, et al., for a different kind of Canadian export.

After the Orioles optioned right-hander Chris Tillman to Triple-A Norfolk, the pitching staff the Orioles will bring north for Opening Day is beginning to take shape. There are 15 pitchers for 12 spots. The Orioles will bring 13 position players to Baltimore. The starting rotation looks clear: Jake Arrieta, Wei-Yin Chen, Tommy Hunter and Jason Hammel are locks. And left-hander Brian Matusz is the likely No. 5 starter, barring a surge from lefty Tsuyoshi Wada. Otherwise, Wada looks like he could open the season as a DL candidate and stay in Florida to continue his adapting to the big leagues.

Orioles top minor league pitching prospect Chris Tillman pitched Norfolk's first nine-inning no-hitter in nearly 18 years Wednesday as part of the Tides' 6-0 win at Gwinnett, the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate. Tillman, 22, allowed one walk and struck out six, throwing 105 pitches. He retired Matt Young on a groundout to Robert Andino to secure the no-hitter. Tillman's only blemish was a walk to Gwinnett designated hitter Brent Clevlen in the fifth inning. He then induced left fielder Mitch Jones to ground into a double play.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew that at some point, his team's depth would be tested. And now in the fifth week of this young season, Showalter has his first true test: shuffling his roster throughout a sudden rash of injuries. The biggest - and most worrisome one - is right-hander Jason Hammel's right-knee soreness that will force the Orioles to push back his next start, which was scheduled for Thursday. Hammel said the soreness has gotten worse over his past two or three starts and has started to affect his delivery.

A day after lasting just 4 1/3 innings in Sunday's marathon in Boston, right-handed starter Tommy Hunter was sent to Triple-A Norfolk, a move needed to bolster a bullpen that had to pitch 12 2/3 innings in one day. "I didn't throw well and they had to make a call," said Hunter, who is 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA in six starts. "Unfortunately, it's me, but I'm not mad at anybody. How can I be mad at anybody? If I had thrown better, we wouldn't have had to go 17 innings. " Orioles manager Buck Showalter had to bring in reinforcements for the bullpen, and so Hunter and catcher Ronny Paulino were sent to Norfolk, and the Orioles recalled Jason Berken and purchased the contract of fellow right-hander Stu Pomeranz . "It was obviously the byproduct of yesterday," Showalter said.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman knew his next outing would be five innings in a minor-league game Sunday to continue to stretch out his arm. He didn't know he'd be officially doing it as a member of Orioles' minor-league camp. The 23-year-old was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday morning before the Orioles' Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Tillman will open the season as a starter at Norfolk. "He's made strides," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

After the Orioles optioned right-hander Chris Tillman to Triple-A Norfolk, the pitching staff the Orioles will bring north for Opening Day is beginning to take shape. There are 15 pitchers for 12 spots. The Orioles will bring 13 position players to Baltimore. The starting rotation looks clear: Jake Arrieta, Wei-Yin Chen, Tommy Hunter and Jason Hammel are locks. And left-hander Brian Matusz is the likely No. 5 starter, barring a surge from lefty Tsuyoshi Wada. Otherwise, Wada looks like he could open the season as a DL candidate and stay in Florida to continue his adapting to the big leagues.

- Former Orioles' first-roundpick Matt Hobgood, who has battled ineffectiveness and injury in his brief pro career, will have right rotator-cuff surgery on April 2 and is expected to miss all of the 2012 season. The 21-year-old Hobgood, whom the Orioles selected in the first round (fifth overall) in 2009, was shut down earlier this month with shoulder discomfort, something that previously has hampered him in his career. He was examined by Dr. Craig Morgan earlier this week and surgery to repair the shoulder was recommended, according to John Stockstill, the Orioles director of player development.

Chris Tillman wasn't pleased with his control Friday afternoon, but the results were good enough to help the Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins, 3-1. Tillman, who is battling for a rotation spot, allowed one run and four hits in 3 1/3 innings, throwing 28 of his 51 pitches for strikes. He was chased in the fourth after giving up consecutive singles to Chris Parmalee and Ryan Doumit and recording a forceout. Parmalee then scored on a forceout against Orioles farmhand Robert Hinton to break a scoreless tie. “You never like to give up a run,” Tillman said.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - After rallying from an early four-run deficit, the Orioles dropped a 5-4 decision to the Red Sox on Tuesday afternoon at JetBlue Park. Orioles right-hander Oliver Drake allowed a two-out double by shortstop Pedro Ciriaco in the seventh inning to score Nate Spears from third for the winning run. Trailing 4-0, Orioles nonroster invitee Xavier Avery hit a two-run single to right in the fifth inning. Wilson Betemit's two-run double off JetBlue Park's mock Green Monster in left field tied the game in the sixth.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with some reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine. Running it back: The Orioles blew a five-run lead to the Yankees last night and lost, 6-5, in 10 innings. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter announced that Brad Bergesen will start Sunday against the Indians . ... Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson has been discharged from GBMC . ... Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said he visits troubled Baltimore neighborhoods after every home game.