Ubaldo gives O’s chance when put on spot

WASHINGTON — Ubaldo Jimenez entered Thursday with a 6.94 ERA, worst among starters with at least 90 innings pitched. His opponent, the Nationals, entered with the fourth-best OPS in the National League. And yet, despite the apparent mismatch, Jimenez shut down Washington over six innings, allowing one run on five hits and no walks.

Though the Orioles lost the game, 4-0, Jimenez’s start was a nice boost for a pitching-starved team that just lost ace Chris Tillman to the disabled list with shoulder bursitis.

“He was great,” manager Buck Showalter said of Jimenez. “I think everybody was pulling for him. He’s such a good young man, he just needed it.”

The Orioles’ starting pitching has been inconsistent this season, and when Tillman reported shoulder soreness late last week, the situation looked dire for the Baltimore rotation.

But in five games since Tillman last pitched, Orioles starters have been excellent, combining to allow eight runs in 30 innings (a 2.40 ERA). Yovani Gallardo submitted a solid outing in a loss to the Astros on Sunday, and Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausman and Wade Miley all pitched well in victories over the …

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