Tigers try to stay hot on road vs. Orioles (Aug 04, 2017)
BALTIMORE -- The Detroit Tigers cooled off the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of their four-game series Thursday night.
Now, the Tigers hope they can start to heat up themselves.
Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton set the tone with first-inning homers for Detroit, which snapped Baltimore's five-game winning streak. Detroit (50-57) has won three of four on its nine-game road trip.
The Orioles (53-55) were coming off a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals, who hold the second wild card spot. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus admits his team will face a tough challenge throughout the weekend.
"That's a good offense," Ausmus said. "They're not going away."
Justin Verlander (6-7, 4.29 ERA) is still in a Tigers uniform despite speculation he was a prime candidate to be moved at the non-waiver trade deadline. He was reportedly placed on revocable waivers earlier this week. Verlander, who has a full no-trade clause, is guaranteed $28 million in each of the next two seasons and has a vesting option worth $22 million in 2020.
"I definitely wouldn't be upset by staying here in Detroit," Verlander said. "And, again, because I can control my own destiny, it wouldn't be somewhere I don't want to go."
The uncertainty with a potential trade did not appear to bother him in his last start Sunday against Houston, when he threw six scoreless innings. Verlander is 9-5 with a 3.77 ERA in 18 career starts against the Orioles. He has been dominant at Camden Yards, going 7-1 with a 2.63 ERA in nine starts.
The Tigers sent catcher Alex Avila and left-handed reliever Justin Wilson to the Chicago Cubs for a pair of prospects, third baseman Jeimer Candelario and shortstop Isaac Paredes, at the trade deadline.
Detroit suffered a blow Thursday when Michael Fulmer, the American League Rookie of the Year in 2016, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.
"I told them it was nothing major (and) that I could deal (with) pitching in five days with it," Fulmer said. "They said for precautionary reasons they wanted to let the nerve calm down."
The Tigers have not decided who will pitch in Fulmer's spot Saturday.
"We'll see how the bullpen goes the next couple days before we decide on Saturday's starter," Ausmus said.
Kevin Gausman (8-7, 5.37) has played a key role in Baltimore's recent resurgence. He has won his past three starts, allowing one run in 20 2/3 innings.
In his last outing Saturday against the Texas Rangers, Gausman came within one out of Baltimore's first complete-game shutout since 2014. He scattered seven hits, with eight strikeouts and three walks.
"Just focusing more on every single pitch, not trying to look at, 'OK, I'm going to go out there and throw seven innings tonight,'" Gausman said. "It's kind of more living pitch to pitch and trying to execute ... my pitch. And, if I don't forget about it, on to the next one. I think that's been working for me really well."
Gausman is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA in five career starts against Detroit and will have to play a key role for Baltimore to remain in the playoff hunt.
The Orioles have gotten another boost from shortstop Tim Beckham, who was acquired from Tampa Bay shortly before the trade deadline. Beckham has seven hits with a home run, three doubles, a triple and three RBIs in his first 12-bats for Baltimore.
