Orioles look to rebound from being shutout as Corbin Burnes leads them into Game 2 in Detroit.
Let’s get this out of the way: yesterday the Orioles didn’t register a hit until they were down to their last out and lost 1-0 in a game that should’ve been very winnable. The last couple of months have given us a frustrating experience with this Orioles offense and Friday was the most frustrating moment of them all.
Tonight’s game is the first opportunity to start erasing Friday’s embarrassment from our collective memory. The good news for Birdland comes with Corbin Burnes taking the mound against a team he’s dominated in the past. Four years ago, in his only other start in Comerica Park, Burnes posted a line of 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, and 11 Ks. On top of that experience vs. Detroit, The Orioles All-Star starter has been particularly stingy on the road this season. In 13 games outside of Camden Yards, Burnes is holding opponents to .197 average and .594 OPS. When Burnes has run into trouble on the road, it’s usually been due to the long ball—allowing 12 HRs in 13 games. That shouldn’t be a big concern today, as Comerica is one of the most pitcher-friendly parks when it comes to limiting long balls.
The Tigers will counter Burnes with an opener in Beau Brieske and we’ll likely see former first-round pick Ty Madden later in the game. After struggling against Brant Hurter’s sweeper last night, the Orioles will get a more traditional approach with Brieske and Madden. Both Brieske and Madden rely primarily on a four-seam fastball that sits in mid to upper 90s. Detroit’s opener pairs that fastball with a changeup-slider combo, while Madden favors a slider-splitter duo with his secondary offerings. Expect Brieske to work the first 1-2 innings with the former Texas Longhorn taking innings 3-6.
Given the state of the offensive, projecting who could put up a good performance vs. the Brieske/Madden seems futile. However, with the Yankees dropping their game against the Red Sox, the O’s offense hopefully comes out determined to make up for last night’s ineptitude and keep their hopes of winning the East alive.
Orioles Lineup
- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Cedric Mullins (L) CF
- Anthony Santander (S) RF
- Adley Rutschman (S) DH
- Colton Cowser (L) LF
- Ryan O’Hearn (L) 1B
- Emmanuel Rivera (R) 3B
- Livan Soto (L) 2B
- James McCann (R) C
Starting pitcher: RHP Corbin Burnes (13-8, 3.18 ERA, 157 Ks)
Tigers Lineup
- Parker Meadows (L) CF
- Colt Keith (L) 2B
- Kerry Carpenter (L) RF
- Riley Greene (L) DH
- Wenceel Pérez (R) LF
- Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
- Jace Jung (L) 3B
- Trey Sweeney (L) SS
- Jake Rogers (R) C
Starting pitcher: RHP Beau Brieske (2-4, 3.97 ERA, 59 Ks)