The Sports Xchange
Aug 4, 2017
BALTIMORE -- Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton hit first-inning homers and the Detroit Tigers snapped the Baltimore Orioles' five-game winning streak with a 7-5 victory Thursday night.
The Tigers (50-57) have won three of four on their nine-game road trip. The Orioles (53-55) missed a chance to get back to .500 for the first time since June 29.
Detroit's Warwick Saupold (3-1) picked up the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief after entering for starter Matthew Boyd.
Baltimore pulled to within 7-5 in the eighth on a solo homer by Tim Beckham off Edward Mujica, who was recalled from Triple-A Toledo prior to the game. However, that was as close as Baltimore would get as Shane Greene picked up his third save with a scoreless ninth.
Chris Tillman (1-7) struggled early and often again for Baltimore, allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits in two-plus innings. He is winless in his past 14 starts and has an 8.10 ERA.
Kinsler hammered Tillman's third pitch of the game over the left-field fence. It was Kinsler's fifth leadoff homer of the season, and the second baseman is now sixth all-time, passing former Oriole Brady Anderson with the 45th leadoff blast of his career. Two batters later, Upton hit a shot to center for a 2-0 lead.
When play resumed after a second rain delay, Detroit threatened in the second, with the first two batters reaching base. However, James McCann grounded into a 5-4-3 triple play, the second for the Orioles this season.
Tillman wasn't as lucky in the third when he loaded the bases with no outs. An error by shortstop Beckham allowed two runs to score. Miguel Cabrera boosted the lead to 6-0 with a double down the right-field line that ended Tillman's night. A sacrifice fly by Mikie Mahtook off Miguel Castro provided another run that inning.
The Orioles pulled within 7-2 in the third on Manny Machado's sacrifice fly and an RBI double by Jonathan Schoop. Baltimore edged closer with another sacrifice fly by Welington Castillo in the fourth.
NOTES: Orioles RF/DH Mark Trumbo (strained right ribcage) threw on the field Thursday and could be back in the lineup Wednesday when eligible to come off the disabled list. ... Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer, the American League Rookie of the Year in 2016, was placed on the 10-day DL with right elbow inflammation. ... Baltimore INF Ryan Flaherty (right shoulder inflammation) will go on an injury rehab assignment Friday and Saturday with Double-A Bowie in Portland, Maine.