Tigers 7, Orioles 0: How Sweep it is

The Tigers round off their latest homestand with a sweep against the O’s.

Happy Sunday, everyone. Following the double-win double-header, the Tigers were looking to close off their series against the Orioles with a sweep. Tarik Skubal was on the mound for the Tigers, up against Dean Kremer for the Orioles.

Top of the first and Gunnar Henderson got a one-out single, but Skubal rallied back with two quick outs and had two strikeouts in the inning. There would be many more. In the home half Gleyber Torres got a one-out walk, showing a really good eye at the plate. But two outs followed to leave him stranded.

The top of the second was a quick frame, with the Orioles going three-up, three-down as Skubal punched out the side. In the home half, Spencer Torkelson got a leadoff walk. After one out, Trey Sweeney also drew a walk. Then, with two outs, Javier Baez doubled deep, deep into left field and two runs scored easily.

Jorge Mateo singled to start the third inning, then successfully stole second, though Dingler made good efforts to catch him. Skubal collected the next two outs, and the Orioles left a man in scoring position. There was also this incredible play by Sweeney.

Kremer was a lot more controlled in the home half after giving up the walks and runs in the second, and got the Tigers out 1-2-3 in the third.

Ramon Urias got a one-out single in the fourth, followed by Gary Sanchez getting hit by a pitch. Sanchez was out following a force out off the bat of Dylan Carlson. The O’s once again left them stranded. The fourth also saw this killer play from Jace Jung.

Kremer, however, continued a strong outing against Tigers’ batters, making those runs in the second all the more valuable. The Tigers were out in order in the bottom of the inning.

Jorge Mateo got another single to start the fifth, then once again stole a bag. In more deja vu, two outs followed to leave him stranded. Bottom of the inning and Baez got a one-out walk. He them advanced to second on a Carpenter flyout, with a fun little belly slide moment. Gleyber Torres got a two-out single, scoring Baez. Torres got tagged out going for second, but the Baez run scored, so while Torres was out the lead was still padded.

In the sixth, Skubal continued to deal against the O’s, with another 1-2-3. Zach McKinstry kicked off the home half with a double, then legged it out to third on a flyout by Riley Greene. With two outs, Jace Jung singled to bring McKinstry home, and that was the end of the day for Kremer.

Cionel Pérez came in just in time to give up a single to Trey Sweeney. Dillon Dingler then singled to score Jung, but Sweeney also headed for home and was tagged out to end the inning. The Tigers challenged the play at home for blocking, and the out call was upheld. The Tigers were up 5-0 at the end of six.

Tarik Skubal’s day was done after six, with Sean Guenther coming in for the seventh (it does seem likely that the extra runs in the sixth helped make this decision). Skubal’s final line of the game was 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K on 91 pitches.

Guenther got the job done in style and at a pace Skubal could appreciate, plowing through the lineup in order. Grant Wolfram came in out of the Orioles pen with a very cool name, and then gave up a single to Baez, who is, like… disciplined at the plate now? We love new Baez. Justyn-Henry Malloy came in to pinch hit for Kerry Carpenter and during his at-bat, Baez stole second. Malloy then walked to put two on. Torres then doubled to deep left to score two runs. At the end of seven the score was 7-0.

In the top of the eighth, Ramon Laureano got a one-out single. He was quickly eliminated by a pristine 4-6-3 double play. Matt Bowman was next out of the Orioles’ pen in the home half. Dingler got a two-out single, but the Tigers didn’t get any additional runs.

For the top of the ninth, Kenta Maeda was in, the Tigers’ only unused arm from the doubleheader. Ryan Mountcastle walked, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Maeda then hit Gary Sanchez with a pitch. He was then eliminated by a force out off Dylan Carlson’s bat. With runners at the corners, Maeda needed to get the final out. Carlson advanced to second on defensive indifference. Maeda collected the final strikeout, though, to complete the shutout and seal the deal on the sweep.

Your Detroit Tigers are 18-10 and at the top of the American League as they head out on a 10-game road trip to Houston, LA to face the Angels, and then the lowly Rockies.

Final: Tigers 7, Orioles 0