With an important series up for grabs on Sunday, the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles will meet up for the rubber match of this weekend's three-game set at Camden Yards.
Baltimore scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull off a miraculous victory in game one of the series on Friday, but Saturday's rendition was all Detroit.
Victor Martinez, Johnny Perlata and Alex Avila hit back-to-back-to-back home runs and Miguel Cabrera launched a grand slam all during an eight-run fourth inning for the Tigers, who coasted to a 10-3 victory.
Justin Verlander collected his seventh win of the season by allowing three runs on eight hits over seven innings of work.
Detroit's win snapped a four- game losing streak.
Jason Hammel was ejected in the fourth inning after he hit Matt Tuiasosopo with a pitch after allowing the three-straight home runs. Hammel's final line was five runs on five hits and three walks in three innings of work. J.J. Hardy went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI to break an 0-for-11 streak.
The Orioles' three-game winning streak came to an end with the loss.
The one pitcher in the Detroit pitching staff who has struggled this season will make the start on Sunday when Rick Porcello takes the hill.
While Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister and Justin Verlander have all enjoyed strong campaigns, Porcello hasn't had as much luck in 2013. The 24- year-old enters play on Sunday with a 2-2 record and a less than ideal 5.29 ERA.
Porcello did show a big improvement in his last start this past Tuesday against Pittsburgh when he scattered three hits and struck out 11 over a season-high eight shutout innings. However, he did not factor in the decision of that one.
If Porcello hopes to replicate that kind of success he'll have to pitch a bit better than he has historically against Baltimore. In five career starts against the Orioles, Porcello is 1-3 with an ERA of 4.50 in 30 1/3 innings pitched.
Highly touted prospect Kevin Gausman will try his hand at putting together a solid start yet again on Sunday when he makes his third career start for the Orioles.
The 22-year-old right-hander was the fourth overall pick in last year's MLB Draft and quickly rose through the minor league ranks to make his big league debut on May 23 against Toronto. In that contest Gausman allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings pitched.
His second, and most recent start, was even worse as he was pounded for seven runs on eight hits, three of which were home runs, over four innings.
Last season these two teams split their six total meetings. This is the first series of this campaign.
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