Orioles - Tigers Preview
(AP) -- Gerardo Parra arrived too late to make his debut for Baltimore and was only a witness to a stirring comeback victory.
The newly acquired outfielder could get his first opportunity to play for the Orioles and attempt to extend his 14-game hit streak Saturday night against the Detroit Tigers.
Parra, acquired from Milwaukee on Friday, made his first appearance in the Baltimore dugout in the second inning and watched Baltimore (52-50) erase a six-run deficit for an 8-7 victory. Manny Machado provided a go-ahead, a two-run homer in the sixth, and Adam Jones went 3 for 5 with a three-run shot in the fifth for the Orioles' sixth win in seven games.
Baltimore nearly rallied from a seven-run deficit in Thursday's opener, a 9-8 loss, and will try to get a quick jump on the Tigers (50-53) with help from its newest player. Parra was fourth in the NL with a .328 average, and had nine homers and 24 doubles.
He's 23 for 50 (.460) during his streak - tied with teammate J.J. Hardy's for the longest in the majors - and has batted .390 in 43 games dating back to June 11. Parra is also a two-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder.
"I've always been a fan of his," manager Buck Showalter said. "The guy won a Gold Glove in left and right and is having a big year offensively. Plays the game like our fans like to see it played. He's really likes winning, so he should fit in well."
Parra is also 8 for 14 with two doubles lifetime against Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez (10-8, 4.61 ERA), who had a career high-tying string of seven consecutive victories and a four-start win streak snapped Monday.
Sanchez gave up three runs in 5 1-3 innings in a 5-2 loss in Tampa Bay while getting zero runs of support.
The right-hander received 56 runs in his prior eight games, including a 7-3 win over Baltimore on July 17. He won't have Yoenis Cespedes to help him after the Tigers slugger was traded to New York Mets on Friday.
Detroit, though, had 16 hits for the second straight game and its first without its second-leading home run hitter and second-best RBI man.
"Guys continue to play hard," manager Brad Ausmus said. "Offensively we're fine right now. A week ago we couldn't buy a run. Now we seem to get runs but we can't seem to hold them."
Kevin Gausman (1-2, 4.20) will try to power the Orioles to another victory over Detroit while hoping to get better run support. The right-hander has gotten a combined four runs in his five starts this season, going 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA, and couldn't benefit from one of the best performances of his career Monday.
Gausman tossed 7 2-3 scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory against Atlanta.
Gausman is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against Detroit and allowed five runs in four innings in his lone matchup last season, a 7-5 loss May 14, 2014.
Sanchez yielded two runs in six innings in defeating Baltimore last month and is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts against the Orioles.