Chris Davis was scratched from the lineup Saturday about 45 minutes before the 7:15 p.m. first pitch with gastroenteritis – basically the stomach flu – marking just the third game this season he hasn't started.
Manager Buck Showalter said after the game that he first heard Davis wasn't feeling well between 5:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
"He had been throwing up a couple times, was pretty weak," Showalter said. "He took an IV and started to feel better. Tried to get some fluids in him, but he was pretty ill."
Showalter said Davis remained at the ballpark to take an IV and spend the evening under the care of team doctors.
"I don't think he ever ran a temperature," Showalter said. "They didn't feel like he was infectious. Something intestinally, we hope. See what tomorrow brings. He got a little better as the game went on."
Davis missed Opening Day this year to complete his 2014 suspension and also was out of the starting lineup May 25, when the Orioles faced the Houston Astros and tough lefty Dallas Keuchel. He did enter that game in the eighth, however, so he had appeared in 85 of the club's first 86 games this season before Saturday.
Steve Pearce took Davis' spot in right field, and was placed sixth in the batting order. Davis was originally set to start in the cleanup spot. To fill his absence in the lineup, Jimmy Paredes was moved from second to fourth, Chris Parmelee was moved from fifth to second and Travis Snider jumped from the sixth spot to fifth.
Pearce said he was surprised to find out Davis was out of the lineup.
"About 30 minutes before the game, they said Davis wasn't feeling well so they threw me in there," Pearce said.
Pearce was 1-for-4, and hit his seventh home run of the season in the fourth inning to give the Orioles a 4-2 lead over right-hander Jordan Zimmermann.
Baltimore Sun reporter Jon Meoli contributed to this story.