Orioles at Tigers
The Detroit Tigers answered a five-game losing streak and multiple rainouts with consecutive victories over the reeling Baltimore Orioles, who now have dropped five in a row themselves. The Tigers look to follow up their four-homer performance as they vie for a three-game sweep of the visiting Orioles on Thursday afternoon.
Dixon Machado concluded the fireworks by leading off the ninth with a homer, capping a chaotic final two innings over which the teams combined for eight runs. Miguel Cabrera celebrated his 35th birthday with a solo shot, Jeimer Candelario went deep to highlight his second straight multi-hit performance and John Hicks belted a three-run homer for Detroit, which improved to 3-5 at home this season. Baltimore has limped to a 3-9 mark away from Camden Yards and aims to avert a fruitless six-game road trip on Thursday before preparing for a 10-game homestand. Manny Machado carries a six-game hitting streak during which he is 8-for-24 with four doubles and four RBIs into Thursday's contest versus Jordan Zimmermann, who is returning from the bruised right jaw he sustained in his last outing.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Baltimore), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Alex Cobb (0-1, 17.18 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (0-0, 8.18)
Signed to a four-year contract worth nearly $60 million last month, Cobb followed up career highs in wins, games started and innings pitched in 2017 with a clunker out of the blocks. The 30-year-old was blitzed for eight runs and 10 hits - including two homers - in 3 2/3 frames at Boston on Saturday. Cobb owns a 2-1 record and 2.41 ERA versus Detroit, although Victor Martinez is 4-for-13 against him.
Zimmermann required a few days for the swelling to go down after he was drilled with a comebacker by Jason Kipnis in the first inning against Cleveland on April 11. "I saw it coming for a second and then I felt it and went down," the 31-year-old Zimmermann told the Detroit Free Press. "Just felt that all my teeth were there. My jaw wasn't peeled in like it was the first time it happened (in college in 2007). I think I got lucky." Chris Davis (5-for-9) and Adam Jones (6-for-22) both have belted three homers versus Zimmermann.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore LF Trey Mancini has scored five times during his six-game hitting streak.
2. Martinez is 7-for-17 with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs in his last four contests.
3. Jones is just 4-for-26 in his last seven games.