DETROIT (AP) — Eric Haase hit a two-run double in a three-run first inning and the Detroit Tigers went on to a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
Detroit earned a split of the four-game series, improving to 30-24 at home this season. The Tigers tied a major league record with 59 home losses in 2019, baseball’s most recent full season.
Detroit’s Tyler Alexander fell behind 2-0 after four batters, but didn’t allow another run in four innings of work. Erasmo Ramirez (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first major league win since Sept. 3, 2018, when he beat the Orioles as a member of the Seattle Mariners.
The Orioles didn’t score after a two-run first.
Baltimore’s Spenser Watkins (2-2) allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in his first appearance against the franchise that drafted him in 2014. All three hits went for extra bases.
The Orioles started quickly, with Austin Hays hitting a double on the first pitch and advancing on Troy Mancini’s long flyball. Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander followed with RBI doubles over Akil Baddoo’s head in center field, making it 2-0 after six pitches.
Jeimer Candelario’s RBI single made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first, and Haase followed with a two-run double to put the Tigers ahead by a run.
The game stayed 3-2 until Robbie Grossman tripled with one out in the sixth and scored on Miguel Cabrera’s sacrifice fly. Baddoo made it 5-2 with a seventh-inning RBI single and Grossman added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Baltimore placed LHP Tanner Scott (knee) on the 10-day injured list and reinstated LHP Keegan Akin from the COVID list. RHP Thomas Eshelman was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Off on Monday before starting a three-game road series against the New York Yankees. Baltimore’s Jorge López (2-12, 6.19 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday’s opener against Andrew Heaney (6-7, 5.27).
Tigers: Off on Monday before hosting the Boston Red Sox in a three-game series. Detroit’s Wily Peralta (3-2, 3.64) is scheduled to start Tuesday against Garrett Richards (6-6, 5.15).
