Pitchers duel in Detroit

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

September 12, 2010, 10:19am

Comments

Maybe I am watching this game through Orange and Black glasses, but I thought Chris Tillman was squeezed on some pitches early in this game today by home plate ump Derryl Cousins while Justin Verlander was not. Verlander blanked the O's through four, but they just scored two in the 5th to take a 2-1 lead. Jake Fox scored Felix Pie with a triple to right center and later scored on a wild pitch. It was the first career triple for Fox, who now has a double, triple and homer in this series. Tillman has thrown well, allowing just one run and one hit through four frames, throwing 57 pitches. The O's just missed turning an inning-ending double play in the second that would have kept the Tigers one run from scoring. The O's today are looking for their fifth three-game sweep of the year as they have home sweeps over Boston, Washington and Los Angeles, plus a road sweep over the Angels. Before the All-Star game, they swept four at Texas. A win today would give them their first sweep at Detroit since May 28-30, 2004. Buck Showalter said before the game that X-rays on Josh Bell's right hand were negative. He didn't start today but could play.