If the Orioles plan on going undefeated this season, they'll need to tighten up the pitching and defense.
At least the offense woke up.
Justin Verlander retired the first 10 batters before Nick Markakis walked and Derrek Lee homered to right field. Lee's first homer and RBIs sliced the Tigers' lead to 4-2.
Manager Buck Showalter said earlier today that "somebody's going to pay" because it looked like Lee's bat was coming around. I guess the Tigers were that somebody.
Brad Bergesen lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He's charged with two earned runs (four total) and five hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 89 pitches, 55 for strikes.
The trouble started when Markakis failed to call off Brian Roberts on Brennan Boesch's shallow fly ball into right field with two outs in the second inning. Roberts was charged with an error while trying to make the catch with his back to the infield.
Bergesen walked Jhonny Peralta and fired a pickoff throw into center field before Alex Avila doubled to score two runs.
Avila cranked a two-run homer in the fourth, again with two outs. Bergesen didn't bother to watch the flight of the ball.
Brandon Inge looped a double down the right field line, and Bergesen was done.
Update: Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez hit back-to-back homers off Josh Rupe in the fifth. Again, all the damage came with two outs. Tigers 6, Orioles 2.
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