09/20/24 11:27:00
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09/20 23:25 CDT Cowser and McCann homer twice as Orioles rout Tigers 7-1 to
build on AL wild card lead
Cowser and McCann homer twice as Orioles rout Tigers 7-1 to build on AL wild
card lead
By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN
Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) --- Colton Cowser hit his 21st and 22nd home runs, James McCann
added his sixth and seventh and the Orioles went deep a season-high five times
in a 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Baltimore remained four games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees and
opened a four-game lead over Kansas City for the top AL wild card. Detroit fell
one game behind Minnesota for the final AL wild card.
Anthony Santander contributed his 43rd round-tripper --- his second in as many
games --- off Tigers opener Tyler Holton (7-2) as the Orioles won consecutive
games for the first time in more than two weeks.
"We've played good baseball the last two days," said Corbin Burnes (15-8), who
pitched seven shutout innings for a second time in as many games against
Detroit. "So now it's just about keeping it going and playing our baseball, and
not worrying about what's going on (elsewhere)."
Burnes struck out eight, yielded three hits and three walks, and lowered his
ERA to 2.95 as the Orioles opened a three-game set against one of baseball's
hottest teams. The Tigers had won their previous four and nine of their last 11
entering Friday.
Keider Montero struck out seven but yielded Baltimore's final four homers over
five innings of middle relief for the Tigers.
"I told him on the mound, ?Keep your head high. You're going to get the ball
again in five or six days and you're going to help us win,'" Detroit manager
A.J. Hinch said.
Trey Sweeney had a late RBI single for Detroit.
McCann's second shot sailed into the Baltimore bullpen, where reliever Cionel
Perez caught it with an outstretched cap --- his sixth such feat this season.
That completed Baltimore's first game with multiple players hitting multiple
homers since June of 2021, and brought its season total to 224.
"We haven't had homers in bunches like this in a while, and we did in the first
half," said Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde. "It was a fun night for us
offensively."
Detroit played from behind from the start. A miscommunication between
outfielders Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter gifted Gunnar Henderson a
leadoff double.
Three batters later, Santander lined Holton's 2-2 cutter just over the 398-foot
sign in deep left-center to make it 2-0 and set in motion a comfortable victory
after his walk-off shot decided Thursday's 5-3 win over San Francisco.
"With two outs, two strikes and he goes deep, that was ... honestly a turning
point in the game," Hyde said. "Getting Burnes with a lead there, a 2-0 lead
right away."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Rookie 3B Colt Keith (right shoulder) returned to the lineup in the DH
role after missing Tuesday's game. Manager A.J. Hinch said he could return to
playing defense later this series, or in Detroit's next series at home against
Tampa Bay.
Orioles: Activated LHP Danny Coulombe (left elbow surgery) from the 60-day
injured list and placed RHP Burch Smith (right groin strain) on the 15-day
injured list. Coulombe worked a scoreless eighth. ... Held out OF Cedric
Mullins (neck discomfort) after his involvement in an outfield collision on
Thursday. ... Sent 1B Ryan Mountcastle to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A
Norfolk.
UP NEXT
Orioles Rookie LHP Cade Povich (2-9. 5.74 ERA) tries to build on a promising
September in which he's pitched to a 3.18 ERA over three starts. The Tigers
send out another opener in RHP Reese Olson (4-8, 3.50).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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