Willi Castro had a home run and two RBIs to lead the host Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
The Tigers have won consecutive games for the first time since April 21-23.
Detroit also clinched only its second series win of the season.
Detroit’s bullpen tossed 7 2/3 innings of scoreless relief after starter Michael Pineda had to leave the game with a right hand contusion. Pineda was hit by a line drive off the bat of Baltimore’s Ramon Urias.
The Tigers seized a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Castro. Jonathan Schoop scored after reaching third base on a leadoff double and subsequent fielding error by Ryan McKenna.
Detroit claimed a 2-0 lead with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run to left field by Eric Haase.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers took a 3-0 lead on a solo home run to left by Castro. The blast was the first of the season for Castro.
Wily Peralta (1-0) relieved Pineda in the second and didn’t allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Jason Foley tossed two scoreless innings of relief before Andrew Chafin and Joe Jimenez pitched one frame each.
In the ninth, Detroit closer Gregory Soto allowed a leadoff single to Trey Mancini, but induced a double play from Anthony Santander and struck out Urias to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season.
Bruce Zimmerman (2-2) took the loss on the mound for the Orioles. He allowed three runs and seven hits, walking one and striking out two in six innings of work.
Baltimore only collected four hits in the game.
–Field Level Media
