O's game blog: Looking for two in a row in Detroit

The Orioles (48-99) beat the Tigers 6-2 last night to open a four-game series that continues tonight at Detroit's Comerica Park. The Orioles are 2-1 the last three games, but 3-10 over the past 13. With that win they improved to 14-34 in series-opening games.

Right-hander Aaron Brooks got the win, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings. Trey Mancini's RBI single in the first inning gave the Birds a 1-0 lead, and his two-run homer (No. 31) in the seventh extended a 4-2 Baltimore lead. DJ Stewart added a two-run homer and Mason Williams an RBI groundout for the O's, who are 2-2 against Detroit in 2019.

Four O's relievers combined to throw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, and the bullpen has seven scoreless the last two games. Over the past four games, the 'pen has allowed just two runs over 16 1/3 innings.

Since Aug. 20, the O's bullpen leads the majors with a 2.73 ERA (24 earned runs over 79 innings). In that time, O's relievers have recorded 79 strikeouts and 26 bases on balls for a 3.04 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, the third-best mark in the American League in that span. On Thursday against the Dodgers, the Orioles bullpen did not allow a hit or a walk over 3 1/3 innings, the third such game this season

O's pitching has allowed seven earned runs while going 2-1 the last three games. The O's did not allow a homer the past two games, and they are 19-6 in games when they do not allow a home run.

On the mound tonight, right-hander Gabriel Ynoa (1-8, 5.79 ERA) will make his 11th start. The Orioles are 1-9 in the first 10, but he threw well in his last one. That was Sept. 3 in the nightcap of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay when he gave up two runs over 6 1/3 innings.

Ynoa has a 1.370 WHIP on the season and has yielded 10.2 hits per nine with 2.2 homers, 2.1 walks and 5.6 strikeouts. In 16 road games, he is 0-5 with a 6.50 ERA. In his 10 starts, he is 0-7 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.360 WHIP.

Left-hander Daniel Norris (3-12, 4.72 ERA) gets the start for the Tigers. The 26-year-old Norris has a 1.374 WHIP, and for every nine innings yields 9.8 hits, 1.7 home runs and 2.5 walks while recording 7.7 strikeouts. He has been limited to three-inning starts his past six games, logging a 4.50 ERA and .212 batting average against in that span.

Detroit (43-103) has the worst record in the majors. The Tigers have lost five of their last six, 10 of 12 and 21 of the last 27. The Tigers are 19-53 at home and 12-18 versus the American League East.

The O's Jonathan Villar is one of six players in the majors to appear in each of their team's games this season. The last Orioles player to appear in every game was Jonathan Schoop, who did so in 2016. Since 2015, Orioles players have appeared in at least 160 games four times. That list includes Schoop (160 games in 2017 and 162 in 2016), Manny Machado (162 games in 2015), and Chris Davis (160 games in 2015).