A few notes before today's game

The Orioles are trying to avoid a three-game sweep in Detroit today before heading to New York for another supreme challenge. So much for easing into the 2014 season. Maybe they've got another five-run ninth-inning rally in them, which is fine if they're trailing by four. Yesterday's game produced the highest-scoring ninth inning for the Orioles since they also tallied five runs in the ninth on April 10, 2013 in Boston, according to the teams' public relations staff. Chris Davis homered, Alexi Casilla scored on a wild pitch and Manny Machado belted a three-run homer off Joel Hanrahan. The Orioles batted in the ninth inning 122 times in 2013 and scored 53 runs (0.44 runs per game). This year, they've batted in the ninth four times and scored seven runs (1.75). After allowing nine hits to the Red Sox on opening day, the Orioles have permitted 10 or more (54 total) in each of the last four games. Last season, they had two streaks of four or more games allowing 10-plus hits - five games from April 27 to May 1 against the Athletics and Mariners, and four games from May 23 to May 26 against the Blue Jays. The Orioles went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the season-opening series against the Red Sox. They're 5-for-23 (.217) with RISP in the first two games of the Tigers series. In 2013, shortstop J.J. Hardy became the fourth player to hit three or more home runs in the same season off Justin Verlander, joining Jim Thome (four in 2006), Victor Martinez (four in 2007) and Jermaine Dye (three in 2006). In his last 10 games against the Tigers dating back to Aug. 18, 2012, Davis is batting .390 (16-for-41) with three doubles, six homers, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored. The Orioles are 59-39 against the Tigers at Camden Yards since 1992 and 25-25 at Comerica Park since 2000.