BALTIMORE _ Right-hander Chris Tillman lived dangerously against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, and even though his performance in the Orioles' 7-3 loss produced his second quality start of the season, his margin of error was too fine to overcome.
No, Tillman wasn't the one whose errant throw into left field cost the team two runs in a tie game in the sixth inning. He was one strike away from escaping. It was catcher Francisco Pena who saw Mitch Moreland 10 feet off third base and rifled a throw to try to get out of the inning unscathed, but the ball sailed wide of third baseman Manny Machado and into the outfield.
But Tillman loaded the bases as a result of two walks, part of his season-high four walks on the day, the latest of Tillman's command struggles in six starts since returning from the disabled list.
The Orioles split their four-game series against the Red Sox with Sunday's loss and seemed to find their footing against at home going two division rivals winning four of seven against New York and Boston after their season-high seven-game losing streak.
Still, the Orioles must solve Tillman's command problems.
The two walks Tillman issued in the first inning against Boston _ a free pass to Andrew Benintendi with two batters into the game and an ensuing walk to Mitch Moreland two batters later loaded the bases with one out _ set the stage for a two-run single by Jackie Bradley Jr. Tillman needed help from his defense _ Moreland was hung up between second and third after Bradley's hit _ to get out of the inning.
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And in the sixth, Tillman couldn't overcome two walks again. After allowing a leadoff single to Moreland, Tillman struck out Hanley Ramirez, but then walked Bradley and Pablo Sandoval back-to-back.
After striking out catcher Sandy Leon swinging at a curveball in the dirt, Tillman threw a 0-2 curveball that bounced in front of the plate and corralled on a big hop by Pena, but Pena's throw sailed to the foul side of the third-base line past Machado, gift-wrapping two runs for the Red Sox as Moreland and Bradley scored.
It's been six starts since Tillman returned from the disabled list. He missed the season's first month recovering from shoulder problems that slowed his spring training and dated to August. All along, both the Orioles and Tillman dismissed his unsteady minor league rehabilitation starts by saying they served as his spring training.
But now the results should start showing, manager Buck Showalter said.
"I think he's past that," Showalter said. "He should be. You look at the normal schedule and everything. He's past that."
Tillman walked a season-high four batters and struggled in the strike zone throughout the afternoon, missing high with his four-seam fastball and slider in his 103-pitch outing.
He did record a quality start. The two runs he allowed in the sixth were unearned, so his six-inning, three earned-run start qualified. Over the past four seasons, Tillman has served as the club's stopper, always there to deliver a deep start when needed, but this season he's battled to get through six innings.
The Orioles were given their own early gift _ three runs in the first inning off Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale, who had not allowed a run in the first inning in any of his previous 11 starts _ but Tillman could not take advantage.
Tillman is averaging 4.6 walks per nine innings, which is his most since 2010, and his walks and hits per innings pitched is 1.82, also the highest of his career and eighth worst among major league starters with 20 or more innings.
