DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit two solo home runs, Casey Mize pitched seven solid innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Thursday night.
Those were career homers Nos. 496 and 497 for Cabrera. The veteran right-hander hit both long balls to the opposite field.
“For him to still be able to do that, it’s so impressive to me,” Mize said. “He’s a sparkplug for our team.”
Mize (6-5) held the Orioles scoreless until the seventh when they pushed across an unearned run, the only run he allowed. The rookie right-hander, the No. 1 overall draft pick three years ago, gave up four hits and struck out two in his first victory since June 26, though the Tigers had been limiting his innings since then.
With the Orioles freely swing the bat, Mize got through seven innings on 88 pitches, still the most he has thrown in the five starts since that previous win.
“They were swinging the bat a lot,” Mize said. “I wasn’t able to get to two-strike counts. I wasn’t able to pitch that deep into counts because they were swinging the bats. They weren’t shying away from swinging the bats early. That kind of played into our hands tonight and we were able to get some quick outs.”
Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde was irked that his batters didn’t lay off more pitches.
“I’m disappointed in our approach tonight a little bit,” he said. “We were chasing balls in (and hitting) a lot of jam balls to the right side.”
Eric Haase drove in two runs and Jeimer Candelario added three hits, including an RBI triple, for Detroit.
Orioles starter Alexander Wells (1-1) allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings.
Cabrera's first homer made it 4-0 in the fifth. He added a two-out shot in the seventh, his 10th long ball this year, to make it 5-1.
“Miggy was a huge contributor,” Detroit manager AJ Hinch said. “Big day for him and ultimately a catalyst for us to come away with a win.”
Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the first on Jonathan Schoop’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Haase, who added a two-out RBI single in the third.
Baltimore scored in the seventh on left fielder Akil Baddoo’s throwing error.
ROSTER MOVES
Tigers: LHP Ian Krol, who was designated for assignment on Tuesday, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: OF Anthony Santander (undisclosed), who cleared health and safety protocols Wednesday, worked out Thursday and could be activated during the four-game series. RHP Tyler Wells (left wrist tendinitis) is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend.
Tigers: INF Isaac Paredes (right hip strain), OF Daz Cameron (right toe sprain) and INF Niko Goodrum (left calf contusion) could all begin rehab assignments at Triple-A Toledo this weekend.
UP NEXT
Orioles RHP Matt Harvey (5-10, 6.65 ERA) will oppose Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (6-9, 4.42 ERA) on Friday. Harvey has pitched six scoreless innings in each of his last two starts. Skubal has given up 22 home runs this season, including three to Kansas City in his last start on Sunday.
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