O's game blog: Chris Tillman faces Justin Verlander in series finale

DETROIT - The Orioles and Tigers have exchanged wins. The Tigers won 4-3 Friday night. The Orioles hit four homers and romped 11-3 last night at Comerica Park.

So today's winner takes the series and the stakes are high. The Orioles will leave here either tied with the Tigers for the second American League wild card or leading them by two games.

Heading into today, the Orioles (77-64) are one game ahead of both the Tigers and New York Yankees for that second wild card spot. The O's are just one game back of the Blue Jays, the first wild card leader. So those four teams - the Blue Jays, Orioles, Tigers and Yankees - are separated by just two games. At the same time, the Orioles are just two games off first place in the AL East lead, held by Boston. A Baltimore win today and a Toronto win over Boston would leave those three teams separated by just one game, with the Orioles about to head to Fenway Park. Yep, this is all crazy.

Right-hander Chris Tillman (15-5, 3.76 ERA) returns to the rotation today for the first time since Aug. 20 when he gave up six runs in two innings against Houston. Tillman has been on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis, but he said he has felt good in recent bullpen sessions. And more importantly, he said he has felt good in the day or two after those throwing sessions.

In 12 road starts, Tillman is 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA and .215 batting average against. The Orioles are 20-6 in Tillman's 26 starts. Tillman blanked Detroit over seven innings on May 13. In eight career starts versus the Tigers, he is 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA.

Today, right-hander Justin Verlander (14-7, 3.28 ERA) makes his 30th start of what has been a very solid season. Over 195 innings, he has a .209 average against, a 1.005 WHIP and 2.28 walks per nine innings ratio and a 9.6 strikeouts ratio. He has fanned 209 hitters this season.

Verlander took a tough 1-0 loss on May 13 against Tillman when he allowed an Adam Jones homer and four hits over eight innings. In 17 career starts versus the Orioles, he is 9-4 with a 3.70 ERA.

He has given up two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his last 13 starts since July 1. In that stretch, Verlander is 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 90 1/3 innings. The Tigers are 18-11 when he starts in 2016.