Tigers' bullpen goes long to protect win over Orioles

Spencer Torkelson's two-run home run and Sawyer Gipson-Long's 4 2/3 solid innings of relief pitching carried the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 victory over the host Baltimore Orioles to open a three-game series Tuesday night.

Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres, Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Perez each had two hits for the Tigers, who have the best record in the major leagues.

Chase Lee (3-0) struck out the only batter he faced to close out the third and set the table for Gipson-Long, who held the Orioles to one run on three hits while striking out five without a walk. Tommy Kahnle and Will Vest did the rest, with Vest notching his 11th save despite allowing a run.

Baltimore third baseman Jordan Westburg, playing his first game after a six-week stint on the injury list, homered in the ninth.

Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday each had two hits for the Orioles, who've lost three of their last four games. Orioles starter Cade Povich (1-5) gave up five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The Tigers opened the scoring on Perez's sacrifice fly in the second inning. The Orioles countered with Gunnar Henderson's two-out RBI single in the third inning that chased opener Brant Hurter, who gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings.

Javier Baez's single with two outs in the fourth regained the lead for Detroit. Dillon Dingler's two-out, fifth-inning RBI single came one batter before Torkelson homered on a smash to straightaway center to stretch the margin to 5-1. Torkelson's 16th long ball of the season sent Povich to the showers.

Holliday's double, a wild pitch and Adley Rutschman's sacrifice fly in the eighth produced the Orioles' second run before Westburg closed out the scoring with his leadoff homer in the ninth.

--Field Level Media