Verlander goes the distance, Orioles still top Tigers 1-0
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The way Chris Tillman and Justin Verlander were pitching, there was no telling when -- or if -- one of them was going to give up a run.
Verlander ultimately lost the duel, allowing a sixth-inning home run to Adam Jones that enabled the Baltimore Orioles to beat the skidding Detroit Tigers 1-0 Friday night.
Tillman (5-1) gave up five hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking two to provide Baltimore with its second six-game winning streak of the season. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA with 32 strikeouts in his last four outings.
Verlander (2-4) went the distance, allowing four hits, striking out eight and walking two in eight innings. He came in 7-0 in eight career starts at Camden Yards.
"Both those guys looked like they were going to be able to put zeroes up as long as they could toe the rubber," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.
Verlander threw 112 pitches, only one of which he'd like back: the fastball Jones lifted over the center-field wall and into the Baltimore bullpen.
"It was kind of one of those games where the first person to blink is going to lose," the right-hander said. "Unfortunately, it was me."
Because there was so little margin for error, it was the kind of game that was difficult to view from the dugout.
"They were pitchers as much as throwers," Showalter said. "Be a lot more enjoyable if you knew how it was going to turn out so you could sit back and enjoy watching two pitchers really good at their trade."
Tillman enjoyed the challenge of going against Detroit's longtime ace.
"It's fun, any time you get to face a guy like that having an outing like he did," Tillman said.
Darren O'Day worked the eighth and Zach Britton got three straight outs for his 10th save.
It was the 10th loss in 11 games for the Tigers, who were blanked for the fourth time this season.
"You're going to lose games 1-0 during the course of the year," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said, "but the timing wasn't great."
Neither team got a runner to third base until Jones drove a pitch over the center-field wall. It was the 200th home run of his career and fourth this season.
"I think it's pretty cool," he said of the milestone. "Glad we got the win."
Nick Castellanos led off the Detroit seventh with a double, but Tillman struck out the next two batters before retiring James McCann on a fly ball to the warning track in right field.
That ended Tillman's night. With an assist from the Baltimore bullpen, the right-hander improved to 5-0 lifetime against Detroit.
Tillman permitted two runners to reach in each of the first two innings and gave up a leadoff single in the third. He quickly steadied himself, retiring 10 straight batters with four strikeouts.
The streak ended with a two-out walk to Miguel Cabrera in the sixth. Facing a shift in which six players lined up on the outfield grass, hot-hitting Victor Martinez hit into a force play on a grounder that was handled about 12 feet beyond the infield.
Martinez finished 1 for 4, ending his run of three consecutive games with at least three hits.
Verlander allowed two singles and walked two through the fifth. One pitch in the sixth, however, separated his exceptional outing from Tillman's.
ROSTER MOVE
The Tigers purchased the contract of RHP Warwick Saupold from Triple-A Toledo and optioned LHP Daniel Norris to the same minor league club.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Shane Green (blister) traveled with the team, but there are no plans yet for him to begin a rehabilitative assignment. He last pitched on April 24.
Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (right shoulder tendinitis) will throw for the first time Saturday since going on the DL on April 23. He will make 25 throws at 60 feet on a flat surface.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Anibal Sanchez (3-3, 3.89 ERA) makes his eighth start of the season Saturday night. He's 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in two career starts at Camden Yards.
Orioles: Mike Wright (1-3, 5.83) attempts to end a three-game losing streak. He's allowed five runs in two of his last three starts.
