Swept away in Detroit: Cobb takes loss as Tigers win third straight

DETROIT - The Orioles were swept away in Motown in blowout fashion this afternoon. Right-hander Alex Cobb got knocked out in the fourth inning in his second start for the team as Detroit routed the Orioles 13-8 to complete a three-game sweep.

The Orioles went 0-6 on this road trip to Boston and Detroit and were outscored 43-22. They came to Detroit hoping to win a series against a team that began this three-game set with five straight losses, a 1-5 home record and a 4-9 mark overall.

Instead, it was the Tigers who began to get well at the expense of the Orioles, who today looked every bit as bad as the final score. Detroit completes its first three-game home sweep of the Orioles since July 5-7, 2010.

Manny Machado hit two solo homers for Baltimore, his fourth and fifth of the year. Other than that, not much went well. Machado produced his second multi-homer game of the season and the 16th of his career. Chris Davis hit a two-run shot in the second, which gave the O's an early and short-lived 2-1 lead.

With eight losses in the last nine games and a record of 5-14, the Orioles limp home to begin a 10-game homestand that starts Friday night versus the Cleveland Indians.

Third baseman Tim Beckham struggled on defense behind Cobb today. But Cobb also allowed 10 hits in 20 at-bats to Tigers hitters, just as he had in Boston on Saturday.

Beckham's throwing error started Detroit's five-run second inning. He also could not barehand a ball that went for a single and bobbled a potential inning-ending double play ball.

But Detroit also hit seven of Cobb's pitches 100 mph or more after Boston had hit nine with that exit velocity in his debut. Cobb went 3 1/3 and gave up 10 hits and seven runs (five earned) on 72 pitches.

Over his first two Baltimore starts he has thrown a combined seven innings, allowing 20 hits and 15 runs (12 earned). His ERA is 15.43.

Mike Wright Jr. replaced Cobb and yielded a grand slam to leadoff hitter Leonys Martin in the fifth. The Tigers scored five in that inning to open a 12-3 lead. Through the fifth, Detroit batters went 15-for-30 and 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

The Tigers' top two batters in the lineup - Martin and Jeimer Candelario - combined to go 7-for-9 with two homers, a triple, four runs and seven RBIs. Detroit outscored the Orioles 22-15 the past three days.

The Orioles have scored more than six runs in just two games this season. But it was little consolation today when they were blown out by mid-game.