Detroit @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2014 ) Detroit 3, Baltimore 12

Nelson Cruz settled for a one-year, $8 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in the offseason and has already proved to be a great bargain. Cruz will look to continue his postseason dominance when the Orioles host the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of their American League Division Series on Friday. Cruz hit a two-run homer in Thursday’s Game 1 victory and has 15 home runs in 35 career postseason games while being a particular pest to the Tigers.

Cruz homered six times in a six-game series win over Detroit when he was with the Texas Rangers in 2011 and picked up right where he left off with a first-inning blast Thursday as the Orioles went on to grab a 12-3 victory. There were five home runs in total in Game 1, with the Tigers managing three solo blasts and nothing else. The big question surrounding Detroit coming into the series was in the bullpen, and the team did little to answer those concerns as Joba Chamberlain, Joakim Soria and Phil Coke combined to give up seven runs while recording two outs in the eighth inning.

TV: 12:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (16-6, 3.54)

Verlander seemed like a candidate for the bullpen in the postseason until turning things around over the final two weeks with back-to-back strong outings. The former MVP allowed a total of two runs and 14 hits in 15 1/3 innings to earn wins over Kansas City and Chicago. Verlander is 9-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 15 career starts against Baltimore but was knocked around for five runs in six innings at Orioles Park at Camden Yards on May 14.

Chen allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts but took the loss in the last two. The Taiwan native issued only 35 walks in 185 2/3 innings in 2014 and yielded just one home run in those five September outings. Chen missed Detroit earlier this season and is 1-0 with six runs allowed in 11 total innings over two starts in his career against the Tigers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cruz has 16 RBIs in seven career postseason games against the Tigers.

2. Detroit OF Rajai Davis (sprained pelvic ligament) was removed from Game 1 and is day-to-day.

3. Baltimore LHP Zach Britton was used for only five pitches in Game 1 while LHP Andrew Miller used 32 pitches over 1 2/3 hitless innings.

PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Orioles 3