Field Level Media
May 27, 2019
Renato Nunez hit a two-run homer, and Jonathan Villar added a solo shot that helped the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series Monday afternoon.
Nunez has been hot lately after slumping for a bit. He now has hit six homers in his past eight games and 13 this season.
Baltimore's Gabriel Ynoa got his first start since 2017, and he gave up two runs in four innings. He had been pitching in long relief out but switched roles with Dan Straily after the latter struggled in his May starts.
This time, though, Straily (2-4) came on in relief and gave the Orioles four strong innings. He allowed one run on three hits and picked up the win.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he'd be using closer Mychal Givens in other spots due to his recent problems, and the skipper brought in Shawn Armstrong after Straily gave up a single to start the ninth. The Tigers threatened and had runners at second and third with two outs before Armstrong closed it for his first save.
Detroit starter Daniel Norris (2-3) went 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (two earned) and six hits, one of which was the homer from Nunez.
Nunez gave the Orioles an early 2-0 lead with his long ball in the bottom of the first. The ball was curling as it sailed toward the stands, and it banged off the foul pole in left.
Detroit cut the deficit to 2-1 when Grayson Greiner lined an RBI single to right in the second inning.
Baltimore added two more in the third. Nunez hit a grounder to shortstop Ronny Rodriguez, who made a wild throw to second that let Trey Mancini score all the way from first. Nunez ended up at third and scored when Pedro Severino hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead.
JaCoby Jones got one back for the Tigers on his RBI single in the fourth. Detroit made it 4-3 in the fifth on a Nicholas Castellanos run-scoring double.
Villar then answered for the Orioles in the seventh with his homer off Victor Alcantara.
--Field Level Media