Baltimore Orioles lose 7-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday
DETROIT (AP) — Matt Vierling had three hits and four RBIs as the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.
Zach Short homered and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched effectively into the sixth inning for the Tigers, who improved to 2-12 against AL East opponents this season.
Jorge Mateo hit a three-run homer, but Baltimore lost for only the second time in 11 games.
Rodriguez (2-2) allowed one run on four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six. He is 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his last four starts.
Alex Lange pitched the ninth for his third save.
Orioles starter Dean Kremer (2-1) gave up five runs on 11 hits and two walks in six innings.
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Javier Báez and a two-run single by Vierling.
James McCann homered in the second, snapping Rodriguez's 18-inning scoreless streak. It was McCann's second home run for Baltimore, both against his former team.
Riley Greene made it 4-1 with an RBI single in the second, scoring Zach McKinstry for the second time on his 28th birthday.
Vierling added RBI doubles in the third and seventh.
McCann popped out with the bases loaded to end the sixth, but Mateo trimmed it to 6-4 with a three-run homer off Mason Englert in the eighth.
Short homered in the eighth to make it 7-4.
ROSTER MOVES
Baltimore added LHP DL Hall as the 27th man for the doubleheader. Hall allowed two runs and five hits over three innings of relief in his season debut.
Short was added as Detroit's 27th man for the twinbill.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Placed OF Kerry Carpenter (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list and selected INF Andy Ibanez from Triple-A Toledo.
UP NEXT
Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez (0-0) was scheduled to start the second game of the doubleheader against Tigers LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 4.26 ERA).
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