Detroit @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( May 31, 2013 ) Detroit 5, Baltimore 7
After watching their vaunted offense get shut down earlier in the week, the Detroit Tigers saw their bullpen fail in the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. The Tigers, who continue their three-game road set against the Orioles on Saturday, were held to three runs total over the first three games of their four-game slide. The offense returned Friday against Baltimore, but closer Jose Valverde gave up two homers and four runs in the ninth inning to send Detroit to a 7-5 setback.
Chris Dickerson provided the walk-off, three-run home run, capping off the Orioles’ late rally to send them to their third straight victory and eighth win in their last 11 games. Baltimore has been a particularly proficient power-hitting team over that span, going deep 25 times. The power surge has helped the Orioles score at least six runs in seven of those contests and overtake Boston as the highest-scoring team in the majors with 280 runs.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (6-4, 3.68 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jason Hammel (7-2, 4.98)
Verlander began to display his old form in Monday’s 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out a season-high 13 despite yielding three runs and seven hits. Prior to that start, the 2011 American League MVP was 1-2 with an 11.37 ERA over his previous three outings. If history is any indication, Verlander stands a good chance at winning his third straight turn as he is 7-0 with a 2.85 ERA against the Orioles in 11 career starts, including 5-0 at Camden Yards.
Following a rough three-game stretch to begin May, Hammel turned in his second consecutive strong outing in Monday’s 6-2 road win against the Washington Nationals. The 30-year-old, who set season highs by lasting eight innings and striking out eight, gave up two runs on eight hits to win for the sixth time in his last seven decisions. Despite a 2-1 record versus Detroit in seven all-time appearances (four starts), Hammel has a 6.17 ERA against the Tigers and has allowed them to bat .330.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Orioles have hit two or more home runs in a game 22 times and recorded at least three homers in a game 12 times. Both marks are tied for the most in the majors.
2. Valverde had allowed only one walk-off home run in a regular-season contest prior to Dickerson’s three-run shot (Javier Valentin, 2006).
3. Detroit 3B Miguel Cabrera (81) and Baltimore 3B Manny Machado (79) rank first and second, respectively, in the majors in hits.
PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Orioles 3