his final rehabilitative assignment. He will join the team i

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have been playing baseball since 1954, and never before had they won a game when the lone run came on a leadoff homer. Until Sunday. Chris Tillman pitched seven innings of three-hit ball in a duel with Hisashi Iwakuma, Nick Markakis homered and Baltimore beat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 for their fourth straight series win. Early on, it was apparent that runs were going to be tough to come by. Orioles manager Buck Showalter assumed as much, as evidenced by his conversation with head trainer Richie Bancells. "I was telling Richie about the fourth inning, I said, You know, Ive never had a leadoff home run and won the game. But todays going to be the first, hopefully," Showalter said. "Not that I didnt have any confidence in us scoring another run." It never happened. Tillman and Iwakuma were that good. "The first home run, the first hitter in the first inning, cost me the whole game," Iwakuma said through an interpreter. "When (you) look at it at the end, its tough like that." The Mariners had never lost 1-0 when the only run came on a leadoff homer. It was only the ninth time in franchise history they dropped a 1-0 game in which the only run was a home run. Tillman (8-5) struck out six and walked none to earn his first win since June 27. A second-round draft pick by Seattle in 2006, Tillman is 6-0 in six career starts against the Mariners. Newcomer Andrew Miller worked a perfect eighth and Zach Britton got three outs for his 23rd save. Iwakuma (9-6) allowed one run, five hits and two walks in 7 2-3 innings. He struck out seven. "One pitch in his first seven pitches," Seattle catcher Mike Zunino lamented. "Other than that, I thought he was excellent." Iwakuma lost on the road for the first time in 15 starts since July 4, 2013. He was 9-0 over that span. The right-handers most glaring error came against Markakis, who hit a shot to right on a 3-2 pitch. Markakis had three hits and now has 1,501 for his career. He came within a triple of hitting for the cycle. "I hope everybody understands what were watching here," Showalter said. "We talk about some of those guys through the years that were solid Orioles, youve got to mention his name, hopefully for many years. The victory was the ninth in 13 games for the AL East-leading Orioles, who won the season series from Seattle 5-2. Seattle put runners on the corners with one out in the second before Tillman struck out Zunino and Brad Miller. That began a run of 14 straight outs by Tillman, a streak that ended when Kendrys Morales singled leading off the seventh. Kyle Seager then hit into a 4-6-3 double play. TRAINING ROOM Mariners: RF Michael Saunders (left oblique strain) had a light day with no hitting Sunday to get some rest. He will begin throwing in the outfield this week. Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (sprained right ankle) was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday night, his final rehabilitative assignment. He will join the team in Washington on Monday and travel with the squad to Toronto. ON DECK Mariners: After getting Monday off, Seattle sends Felix Hernandez (11-3) to the mound Tuesday at home against Atlanta. Orioles: Baltimore takes a short trip south Monday for a makeup game against the Nationals. Rookie Kevin Gausman faces Washingtons Tanner Roark. NO Offence The Orioles have scored only six runs in their last four games, but are 2-2 in that span. Nelson Cruz, who was 1 for 28 since hitting his 28th homer on July 25, was kept out of the lineup Sunday. Although the bats have been quiet, Showalter remains hopeful. "As many times as we come here after a game knowing the offence picked up the pitching, its kind of evened out," he said. "If we can get both going -- as every team tries to do -- it would be a little more fun. I had fun today watching good pitchers pitch. If Id have known how it was going to end I could enjoy it a lot more, Ill tell you that." Cheap Yankees Jersey . -- Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice tweeted an apparent goodbye after a report about his pending release. Derek Jeter Yankees Jersey . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. http://www.yankeesshoponline.com/thurman...-clearance.html. A criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court said his girlfriend told police they got into the argument early Thursday at his suburban Minneapolis home. Don Mattingly Home Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks have signed nine players to 2014 future contracts, including quarterback B. Alex Rodriguez Yankees Shirt . "I honestly dont know," he said. Try this: 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds by Rajon Rondo, a 62-37 rebounding advantage by the Celtics and a horrible 4-for-30 shooting performance on 3-pointers by the Nets.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Sean Spences word choice was not by accident.Spending three years in the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room has taught the linebacker certain opponents evoke certain feelings. Theres only really one that pops up when the Baltimore Ravens come to mind.Just a rich tradition of hatred we have for one another, Spence said.Even if Spences participation in that tradition is limited. Hes hardly alone. The vast majority of players on both sides of the field will be getting their first taste of what one of the NFLs true blood feuds looks like in the playoffs when the Steelers (11-5) host the Ravens (10-6) in the wild-card round.That list, however, will not include LeVeon Bell. Pittsburghs All-Pro running back and team MVP is out with a hyperextended right knee, leaving rookies Josh Harris and Dri Archer and newly acquired Ben Tate in his place.Tate, on his fourth team in 12 months, was looking for a job a week ago. Now he finds himself thrust into one of the leagues longest-running dramas.Everyone knows about it, Tate said. So, its nothing new that Ive never heard about before.And really, thats kind of the point. Signing with Pittsburgh or Baltimore comes with the underlying expectation that for any season to be successful, youre going to have to find a way to deal with your archrival.Thats one of the reasons I came here, Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil said. This is best rivalry Ive ever been a part of by a long shot. Its cool man, to be able to see it early in my career and be a part of it now, to have played in it. And now, for a playoff game, it doesnt get any better than that.The Ravens and Steelers have been battling for AFC North supremacy off and on for most of the millennium. Both have two Super Bowl titles since 2000. Three times theyve met in the playoffs at Heinz Field.Three times Pittsburgh advanced while Baltimore trudged back to the locker room wondering how its season slipped away. The Ravens led by 14 at the half in the divisional round in 2010 only to watch the Steelers rally, winning on a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown run with 1:39 to play.Its a painful history in Baltimore, though the Ravens hardly sound worried about repeating it.The other ones pretty much have their result, but this one doesnt, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. Come Saturday, its an opportunity to do something special and do something we havent ever done.Besides, most of the faces have changed. Pittsburgh has just 15 players on the active roster who were part of the 2010 team that reached the Super Bowl.ddddddddddddThe Ravens only have 19 guys remaining from the group that won the franchises second championship two years ago. They split their two regular-season meetings this year, with each club winning by 20 points at home in a couple of rare blowouts in a series where the result usually isnt determined until the final seconds.Both sides are preparing to etch another bruising chapter on Saturday. Its January. Its Ravens-Steelers. Thats the way its supposed to be, right?This is probably what the NFL wanted more than anything to see these two AFC North teams go at it, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. I like to think were different. I like to think were still moving up.Some things to look for with a spot in the final eight on the line.SACK TANDEM: Dumervil finished the regular season with a career-high-tying 17 sacks and Suggs had 12 in a friendly competition that often spelled doom for opposing quarterbacks. No duo in the NFL had more in 2014.TROYS RETURN: Few players have had more of an impact on the rivalry than Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, whose 40-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed Pittsburghs victory in the AFC Championship game six years ago. Polamalu is expected to play after sitting out the finale with a sprained knee.KUBIAK FOCUSED: Ravens offensive co-ordinator Gary Kubiak has been mentioned as a possible choice to fill several head coaching vacancies, but the former Houston Texans coach had no desire to talk about where he might be next year. Under Kubiaks direction, the Ravens set a single-season team record with 409 points.BROWNS BREAKOUT: Steelers wide receiver Antonio Browns first big moment in the NFL came on a 58-yard pass in the 2010 divisional round that set up Mendenhalls winning score. Fast forward four years and Brown is an All-Pro and one of the most hard to cover players in the league and faces a secondary ravaged by injuries.NGATA PROBLEM: Baltimores fourth-ranked run defence should get even better with the return of nose tackle Haloti Ngata, who missed four games while serving a suspension for violating the leagues performance-enhancing drug policy. The Ravens went 3-1 in his absence but were pushed around by the Texans in the lone defeat, an upset loss on the road that knocked Baltimore out of any contention for the division title.