Baltimore Vs. Detroit
The Baltimore Orioles are undefeated through four games for the first time in 14 years. With a chance to open 5-0 for the first time in more than four decades, they'll turn to yet another unproven pitcher.
With opening day starter Jeremy Guthrie recovering from an illness, Buck Showalter is expected to give the ball to Brad Bergesen when Baltimore hosts the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.
In sweeping defending AL East champion Tampa Bay and defeating Detroit 5-1 in Monday's home opener, the Orioles have not trailed and allowed one run in each game.
Guthrie helped set the tone for the stunning start, throwing eight shutout innings in a 4-1 win over the Rays on Friday. The right-hander, who led Baltimore with 11 victories last season, began running a fever Sunday and was admitted to the hospital.
"Our doctor felt like it was a form of pneumonia," Showalter said after Monday's game.
Guthrie wasn't with the team for the home opener, and Showalter hopes he'll be able to make his next scheduled start Sunday against Texas. Bergesen (8-12, 4.98 ERA) will come out of the bullpen to fill his spot for at least one turn in the rotation.
"I'm comfortable with it," Bergesen told the Orioles' official website. "I knew all along that I was here to fill in if needed. When we got the bad news that Jeremy wasn't going to be able to make the start, I figured that I was going to get that call."
Bergesen finished his rookie season of 2010 in strong fashion, going 5-3 with a 2.85 ERA over his final 12 starts. The right-hander was 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts against the Tigers (1-3).
Although Bergesen wasn't expected to start Tuesday, the Orioles have been doing just fine with a makeshift rotation.
Guthrie's gem against Tampa Bay was followed by 22-year-old Chris Tillman pitching six innings of no-hit ball. Emergency starter Zach Britton then allowed one run in six innings in his major league debut Sunday, and Jake Arrieta continued the trend by scattering six hits over six innings Monday against Detroit, which had scored 19 runs in three games at Yankee Stadium.
"They're pitching good," Jim Leyland said. "They have a lot of things going for them right now."
The stellar pitching has helped the Orioles open with four consecutive victories for the first time since capturing the AL East title in 1997 - their last winning season. Baltimore, which started 1-11 last year and didn't win its fourth game until April 27, hasn't been 5-0 since 1970.
"It's always nice to get off to a good start," shortstop J.J. Hardy said. "I think it takes away a lot of pressure. We're having a lot of fun right now."
Second baseman Brian Roberts is leading Baltimore offensively with two home runs and eight RBIs, but he is hitting .158 against Justin Verlander (0-0, 4.50).
The right-hander has gone 5-0 with a 2.52 ERA in seven career starts against the Orioles, with the Tigers winning each game. In his lone outing against Baltimore last season, he allowed two runs while striking out 11 in eight innings of a 6-2 victory Sept. 12.
Verlander made his fourth straight opening day start Thursday in a 6-3 loss to the Yankees, allowing three runs, three hits and four walks in six innings.
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