Adam Eaton bought something invaluable Thursday night: time.
The journeyman right-hander struck out nine and allowed just two runs in 7 1/3 innings to earn the win against the White Sox. In doing so, he quieted the chatter of fans who wanted the Orioles to pull Eaton from the rotation. With an 11.25 ERA through eight innings, Eaton needed to turn things around before the club began to look elsewhere. By the end of the night, his ERA had dipped to 7.04. The 31-year-old wasn't under any immediate watch, according to manager Dave Trembley, but Thursday will go a long way toward keeping Eaton in Baltimore for a few more starts.
Eaton is an inexpensive, virtually risk-free spot starter for the Orioles until their next wave of prospects is on the scene. Expect him to stick in the rotation through at least May, barring any injuries or a drop in performance.
The Orioles have prospects in line to join the rotation soon, with Eaton's spot among the attainable. But Chris Tillman won't be in Baltimore until the second half of the season at the earliest, and fellow front-line prospects Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz aren't likely to arrive until next year.
ORIOLES 6, WHITE SOX 2: Adam Eaton won for the first time since last July, and the Orioles won the series, two games to one. The Orioles had 10 hits, including four doubles, to improve to 8-8.
