Orioles 4, Tigers 10: Miguel Gonzalez struggles as O's fall to Tigers

In a game delayed by rain before the start and interrupted in the 4th inning, Miguel Gonzalez could not find his control and gave the Tigers the opportunity to have big innings. The Tigers capitalized on their chances, and scored 3 runs in the 2nd and 4 runs in the 4th in a 10-4 win over the O's. Miguel Cabrera was his usual self, but it was Rajai Davis hitting in the ninth spot who did the damage.

Due to a postponed game for the Tigers on Thursday, the O's are facing the third ace of the Tigers rotation, Anibal Sanchez. The O's took advantage of Sanchez right off the bat. After one out in the first inning, David Lough singled on a blooper to LF, and stole second base on a close play. It was the first SB of the season for the O's. Adam Jones followed with a rare walk. Chris Davis then hit a line drive double to RF corner that scored the first two runs of the game.

Miguel Gonzalez looked sharp in the 1st, but had a wild inning in the bottom 2nd. Austin Jackson led off the inning with a double to RF, followed by a walk to Alex Avila. Nick Castellanos then doubled on a blooper to RF. One run scored and runners are at second and third with no outs. After a strikeout, Gonzalez hit Rajai Davis with his first HBP of the inning to load the bases. Ian Kinsler, the new acquisition of the Tigers, lined the first pitch of the at bat for a single to CF. One run scored, but the ball was hit so hard that the second runner had no chance to score. Fortunately, Castellanos did not know that. Adam Jones fired the throw home, cut off by Chris Davis. Castellanos overran third base and Davis's throw beat him by a mile. It was a heads up play by Chris Davis, and one that saved at least a run for the O's.

After his second HBP of the inning to Torii Hunter to load the bases, Gonzalez threw a wild pitch in the dirt to allow the Tigers the go-ahead run. He then induced a weak fly ball from Miguel Cabrera to finally end the inning. Thanks to the baserunning mistake by Castellanos, the O's escaped the inning only down one run.

In the 3rd inning, Austin Jackson tried to stretch a single to LF to a double. He was thrown out at 2B on a perfect throw by David Lough. That's a play Cruz would not make 90% of the time, and why fans are clamoring for Cruz to be the full-time DH instead of starting in LF against southpaws.

The O's had an opportunity to score in the 4th inning after Davis and Cruz walked to start the inning. But Sreve Clevenger, Jonathan Schoop and Ryan Flaherty all failed to capitalize on their plate appearances.

The game turned in the bottom of the inning. After Castellanos singled, Romine reached first on a bunt single. Rajai Davis tried to bunt on the first pitch of the at-bat, but missed it. Then the rain came and the game was delayed for about half an hour. After the rain interruption, Gonzalez remained on the mound. Davis is no longer showing bunt. Instead, on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, he hit a 3-run homer that barely cleared the wall. Torii Hunter added another homerun later in the inning, but the game was pretty much over at this point. Josh Stinson replaced Gonzalez after Hunter's homer, and he, combined with Ryan Webb, pitched four and a third innings, allowing Buck to rest his primary relief options.

Miguel Cabrera singled in the 6th and homered in 8th to add three more runs for the Tigers. The O's also scored two more runs in the ninth thanks to a misplay by Austin Jackson on Steve Clevenger's triple, but it was only a futile effort.

The Orioles play the Tigers in another day game tomorrow in a match-up between Bud Norris and Rick Porcello.