Field Level Media
Apr 27, 2018
Pedro Alvarez hit two home runs, Manny Machado added another and Chris Tillman allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-0 on Friday night in Baltimore, ending a five-game losing streak.
Tillman (1-4) struck out five, walked two and allowed only a Jose Iglesias double in the fifth inning. The right-hander had all of his pitches working, especially a changeup that repeatedly befuddled Detroit and helped the Orioles finally earn a victory.
Also for Tillman, this ended a streak of 22 consecutive starts without a win, dating to May 7, 2017. He had missed the first month of last season while recovering from shoulder issues and never won after that initial start, finishing 1-7 with a 7.84 ERA.
Tillman struggled so much last season that manager Buck Showalter put him in the bullpen later in the year. The right-hander also had problems this season, coming into this game with a 9.87 ERA even though he pitched better in his last start, giving up four runs in six innings in a loss to the Indians.
Detroit starter Mike Fiers (2-2) allowed three runs on four hits in six innings, but gave up two homers and left with the Tigers trailing 3-0.
The Orioles gave Tillman an early lead when Machado hit a two-out solo homer in the first off Fiers. They made it 2-0 when Alvarez added a solo shot in the fifth.
Baltimore got a break in the sixth when Caleb Joseph led off with a double and scored on a one-out double from Jace Peterson -- a ball that hit second base and deflected into right field.
That gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead, and they extended it when Alvarez, who finished with three RBIs, hit a two-run homer off reliever Johnny Barbato in the seventh.
Machado then added an RBI single in the eighth for the final run.
The Tigers finished with two hits in the game after they swept a three-game series with Baltimore in Detroit earlier this month.
--Field Level Media