DUNEDIN, Fla. — Chris Tillman allowed two runs and didn’t make it out of the second inning in Tuesday’s shaky spring debut for the Baltimore Orioles, who tied the Toronto Blue Jays 6-6.
The former All-Star served up four hits in the first, including a second-pitch leadoff double to Kevin Pillar and RBI singles to Jose Bautista and Chris Colabello.
The right-hander then yielded a double to prospect Darrell Ceciliani to open the second and consecutive two-out walks to AL MVP Josh Donaldson and Bautista before being lifted with the bases loaded.
"I would have like to have made some better pitches," Tillman said. "I made a lot of good pitches with my fastball and could have stuck with that a bit more. But I wanted to get that feel for the breaking ball, which they made contact with."
Tillman, who missed two weeks recovering from a strained flexor muscle in his right hip, gave up five hits, walked three and struck out one.
"It felt good to be back out there, get the butterflies going and the adrenaline," he said. "That makes it a lot of fun. It’s hard to do that on the back fields, but you know, there’s nothing like getting those butterflies going in-game and having your guys behind you."
Pedro Alvarez drove in a run for the Orioles with a single off Toronto starter Jesse Chavez in the first. And Baltimore’s Alfredo Marte hit a two-run homer in the eighth as part of a four-run inning.
Dalton Pompey tied it on a solo shot in the ninth for the Blue Jays.
STARTING TIME
Blue Jays: Chavez, a candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, gave up two earned runs on five hits in three innings. The righty, who was acquired in a November trade from Oakland, also walked one and struck out one.
"I felt good, I felt normal – just a little bit off and I could tell by the contact," he said. "One hard hit off the wall, but other than that, I look at the swings and I look at the contact, then that will tell me if I’m progressing or not the way I want to."
FLASHING THE LEATHER
Blue Jays slugger Troy Tulowitzki was robbed of an extra-base hit in the second by Nolan Reimould on a towering fly ball to the right-field fence with the bases loaded and two outs. After making a leap at the wall and a quick juggle of the ball in his glove, Reimould held on to get the Orioles out of the jam.
An inning later, Ceciliani took away a hit from Alvarez with a head-first diving grab in shallow right.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: C Matt Wieters was relieved that the results of the MRI exam on his right elbow showed no structural damage. It’s not clear when he’ll play again. "Now, it’s a matter of just dealing with the symptoms, get them treated and get back out there," Wieters said in Sarasota. … LHP Brian Matusz, who hasn’t pitched since March 1 because of a back injury, threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session, but manager Buck Showalter said there is no timetable for his return.
Blue Jays: 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion will be shut down at least a week with a "minor oblique problem," manager John Gibbons said. The two-time All-Star has missed more than two weeks recovering from an abscessed tooth that was pulled Feb. 28. … RHP Marco Estrada said he had no limitations from his sore back after a minor league game Tuesday in which he struck out four in two innings. He said he expects to make his exhibition debut soon. "I think the toughest part was just sitting down, waiting for the inning to end and then getting back up and going," he said. "But once I got out there and got loose, I felt pretty good."
UP NEXT
Orioles: Kevin Gausman makes his second start of the spring Wednesday when the Orioles host the Pirates. The right-hander tossed two shutout innings in his first start and also pitched against a Pittsburgh "B" team on Thursday.
Blue Jays: Drew Hutchison will make his third start Wednesday night against the Yankees in Tampa. The right-hander has struck out five in 6 2/3 innings this spring.
