O's score eight in eighth to beat Tigers 12-3, turn ALDS Game 1 into rout
In the end it turned into a rout.
Using a familiar formula that led them to 96 wins and a division championship, the Orioles beat the Tigers 12-3 tonight to take Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
A frenzied crowd of 47,842 roared its approval at Camden Yards.
The Orioles got a solid starting pitching performance from Chris Tillman, homers from Nelson Cruz and J.J. Hardy, a clutch hit from Nick Markakis and solid bullpen work in the victory.
They also scored eight runs and batted around in the last of the eight to turn a possible one-run win into a comfortable and surprising nine-run victory.
The Orioles' 12 runs tonight are their most in a playoff game since a 10-4 win over Cleveland in Game 1 of the 1996 ALDS.
The game got off to a great start for the Orioles. Tillman struck out the side in the first inning on 14 pitches, getting Miguel Cabrera for the final out on a 97 mph fastball.
Moments later, the Orioles had a 2-0 lead. Markakis, in his first career playoff game, led off the first with a groundball single and Alejandro De Aza was hit by a pitch.
After Adam Jones bounced into a double play, Cruz came up. In the 2011 American League Championship Series, Cruz hit six homers and drove in 13 runs against the Tigers in six games. Tonight he got them again.
Cruz hit a Max Scherzer 95 mph fastball out to right field on the first pitch for a 2-0 lead.
It was Cruz's 15th career postseason homer in 35 games, moving him into a tie for 10th place all-time with Babe Ruth.
But the Tigers quickly tied the game 2-2. Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez hit back-to-back homers in the second off Tillman. It was the first back-to-back playoff homers for the Tigers since Oct. 6, 2011 against New York.
According to ESPNStats & Info, the only other teammates with the same last name to hit back-to-back playoff homers were Frank and Brooks Robinson of the Orioles in the 1966 World Series.
The O's moved back ahead 3-2 on Markakis' RBI single in the last of the second. Later, the Orioles got an insurance run when Hardy led off the seventh with a homer off Scherzer for a 4-2 lead. He hit a 1-1 changeup for his first career postseason homer.
That proved big when Cabrera homered off Darren O'Day in the eighth to bring Detroit within 4-3. It was his ninth career postseason homer and the third homer O'Day has allowed in his last seven outings.
The Orioles then pulled away with a eight run eighth at the expense of the Tigers much maligned bullpen. That inning featured RBI singles from Cruz and Ryan Flaherty and a two-run double from Jonathan Schoop. Schoop had two hits after ending the season going 6-for-55. De Aza doubled twice and drove in two runs.
Tillman got the win, but went just five innings, thanks in part to a 31-pitch second inning and Ian Kinsler seeing 30 pitches in three plate appearances.
Tillman gave up four hits and two runs in his first career playoff start with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 105 pitches. In two starts this year against the Tigers he went 13 1/3 allowing three runs.
Scherzer took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs over 7 1/3 innings. He was 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA in five September starts.
The Orioles bullpen did its usual strong job. Andrew Miller went 1 2/3 scoreless innings on 32 pitches, his most as an Oriole. O'Day went an inning, Zach Britton got a key out in the eighth and Tommy Hunter pitched the ninth.
The victory was the Orioles 50th all-time in the postseason and they are now 50-35 (.588).
For the Orioles so far in this series, one Cy Young Award winner down and two go.
In Game 2 on Friday at 12:07 p.m., Wei-Yin Chen (16-6, 3.54 ERA) pitches against 2011 AL Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54 ERA).
The Orioles' 12 runs tonight are their most in a playoff game since a 10-4 win over Cleveland in Game 1 of the 1996 ALDS.
The game got off to a great start for the Orioles. Tillman struck out the side in the first inning on 14 pitches, getting Miguel Cabrera for the final out on a 97 mph fastball.
Moments later, the Orioles had a 2-0 lead. Markakis, in his first career playoff game, led off the first with a groundball single and Alejandro De Aza was hit by a pitch.
After Adam Jones bounced into a double play, Cruz came up. In the 2011 American League Championship Series, Cruz hit six homers and drove in 13 runs against the Tigers in six games. Tonight he got them again.
Cruz hit a Max Scherzer 95 mph fastball out to right field on the first pitch for a 2-0 lead.
It was Cruz's 15th career postseason homer in 35 games, moving him into a tie for 10th place all-time with Babe Ruth.
But the Tigers quickly tied the game 2-2. Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez hit back-to-back homers in the second off Tillman. It was the first back-to-back playoff homers for the Tigers since Oct. 6, 2011 against New York.
According to ESPNStats & Info, the only other teammates with the same last name to hit back-to-back playoff homers were Frank and Brooks Robinson of the Orioles in the 1966 World Series.
The O's moved back ahead 3-2 on Markakis' RBI single in the last of the second. Later, the Orioles got an insurance run when Hardy led off the seventh with a homer off Scherzer for a 4-2 lead. He hit a 1-1 changeup for his first career postseason homer.
That proved big when Cabrera homered off Darren O'Day in the eighth to bring Detroit within 4-3. It was his ninth career postseason homer and the third homer O'Day has allowed in his last seven outings.
The Orioles then pulled away with a eight run eighth at the expense of the Tigers much maligned bullpen. That inning featured RBI singles from Cruz and Ryan Flaherty and a two-run double from Jonathan Schoop. Schoop had two hits after ending the season going 6-for-55. De Aza doubled twice and drove in two runs.
Tillman got the win, but went just five innings, thanks in part to a 31-pitch second inning and Ian Kinsler seeing 30 pitches in three plate appearances.
Tillman gave up four hits and two runs in his first career playoff start with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 105 pitches. In two starts this year against the Tigers he went 13 1/3 allowing three runs.
Scherzer took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs over 7 1/3 innings. He was 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA in five September starts.
The Orioles bullpen did its usual strong job. Andrew Miller went 1 2/3 scoreless innings on 32 pitches, his most as an Oriole. O'Day went an inning, Zach Britton got a key out in the eighth and Tommy Hunter pitched the ninth.
The victory was the Orioles 50th all-time in the postseason and they are now 50-35 (.588).
For the Orioles so far in this series, one Cy Young Award winner down and two go.
In Game 2 on Friday at 12:07 p.m., Wei-Yin Chen (16-6, 3.54 ERA) pitches against 2011 AL Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54 ERA).
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