Series preview: O's at Detroit

Game Preview Orioles (44-60) at Detroit (54-49) With Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz expected to start the next two nights for the Orioles, the pressure is on that pair to restore order to Orioles' pitching. They'll take the mound in Detroit where tonight the O's and Tigers begin a four-game series. The Red Sox hit .395 over the weekend vs. O's pitchers with 28 runs on 47 hits. They capped a three-game sweep with Sunday's 23-hit, 18-10 victory. O's starters worked to an ERA of 10.22 in the Boston series. Boston scored in seven of nine at bats on Sunday and had 14 runs and 16 hits by the fourth inning. Tonight the Orioles, who own a road record of just 16-34, begin a seven-game trip to Detroit and Toronto. Some Orioles bats are heating up. Over the last seven games, Adam Jones is 10 for 28 with four homers and 10 RBI. Nick Markakis is 8 for 20 with 7 RBI during a five-game hitting streak. Nolan Reimold is batting .370 since the All-Star break and Brian Roberts is 10 for 26 during a six-game batting streak and has nine doubles over his last 17 games. The Tigers lost two of three over the weekend vs. Cleveland and have lost five of their last seven games. Detroit remains in first in the AL Central, a game and a half ahead of Chicago and three games up on Minnesota. The Tigers are just 6-10 since the All-Star break despite a pitching staff that has pitched to an ERA of 3.91 since the break. Detroit's defense has been a problem lately with the Tigers making 15 errors the last seven games. But they are a strong home team with a 31-16 record at home and tonight begin a stretch where they will play 13 of the next 17 at home. The Tigers are just 4-13 this year vs. the AL East. The Orioles split a four-game series with Detroit at the end of May at home. After winning the first two games by scores of 5-1 and 7-2, the O's lost the last two contests by 6-3 and 3-0 scores. Baltimore went 2-1 at Detroit last year. The Orioles are 16-12 at Comerica Park since 2000. Luke Scott has had an amazing two-year run vs. Detroit pitching. In seven games vs. the Tigers last year, he went 13 for 24 with five homers and 10 RBI. In the first series with the Tigers in May, he went 6 for 14 with five homers and 11 RBI. Three of Scott's seven career multi-homer games have been vs. Detroit. So in 11 games vs. Tigers' pitching, he is 19 for 38 at bat with 10 homers and 21 RBI. Right now, Scott is a 6 for 47 slump since the All-Star break. Series Pitching Matchups: Mon, 7:05p - Chris Tillman (0-0, 5.79) v. Justin Verlander (12-5, 3.16) Tues, 7:05p - Brian Matusz (11-2, 1.91 minors) v. Jarrod Washburn (8-6, 2.64) Wed, 7:05p - Jeremy Guthrie (7-10, 5.37) v. Edwin Jackson (7-5, 2.64) Thurs, 1:05p - David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28) v. Rick Porcello (9-7, 4.36) O's hitters, 2009 vs. Detroit: Andino: 0-1 Huff: 3-12 Izturis: 5-12 Jones: 3-16 Markakis: 4-17, RBI Mora: 4-10, two runs Pie: 0-0 Reimold: 3-11, HR, 2 RBI Roberts: 4-15, RBI Scott: 6-14, 5 homers, 11 RBI Wieters: 2-11, 2B & 3B Wigginton: 1-3, 2B Zaun: 0-6