Tigers Roar Past Orioles to Set the Tone in Series Opener
Coming off a 4-2 West Coast road trip against the Mariners and Athletics, the Baltimore Orioles returned home on Tuesday night to begin a new homestand, starting with a matchup against the dangerous Detroit Tigers. The Orioles have been receiving roster reinforcements in recent weeks, with Cedric Mullins and Jordan Westburg being the latest players activated from the injured list before the series opener. With these additions, Baltimore hopes to revitalize its postseason chances for the 2025 season after a rough start over the first two months. As they welcomed the Tigers to town, the Orioles looked to get off to a much better start against the league’s best team, especially after being swept by Detroit in late April in Motown. However, the Orioles’ struggles against the Tigers continued in the series opener, as Baltimore dropped their second straight game in a 5-3 loss at Camden Yards.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Tigers struck first. After a one-out triple by third baseman Zach McKinstry, right fielder Wenceel Perez drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly, giving Detroit an early 1-0 lead against Orioles starter Cade Povich. However, the Orioles responded in the bottom of the third, as star shortstop Gunnar Henderson lined a single to right field after a 10-pitch at-bat, scoring Jackson Holliday to tie the game at 1-1. The Tigers regained the lead in the top of the fourth when veteran utility man Javier Báez singled to right, bringing home Perez to make it 2-1.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers began to widen the gap and showcase their offensive firepower. Dillon Dingler drove in Riley Greene with a two-out single to right field after Greene’s double, extending Detroit’s lead to 3-1. First baseman Spencer Torkelson followed with his 16th home run of the season, pushing the lead to 5-1. The Orioles attempted a late-game rally, with Adley Rutschman cutting the deficit to 5-2 in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Jackson Holliday following his one-out double. In the ninth, Jordan Westburg launched his fifth homer of the season in his first game back from the IL. However, Baltimore came up short, losing 5-3 in the series opener. The Orioles will look to rebound in the middle game of the series, with veteran starter Zach Eflin taking the mound on Wednesday.
