Nelson Cruz continues to come up big in the playoffs. This time he did so with the Orioles. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
BALTIMORE — Alejandro De Aza doubled twice and drove in two in an eight-run eighth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles pulled away for a 12-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday night.
The 12 runs set an Orioles franchise record for a playoff game.
Game 2 is set for Friday at 12:07 p.m. ET.
Orioles designated hitter Nelson Cruz, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning, added an RBI single in the eighth. He has seven homers and 16 RBIs in seven career playoff games against the Tigers.
Detroit starter Max Scherzer entered the eighth with the Tigers trailing 4-3, but he gave up a one-out double to left fielder De Aza and came out.
De Aza scored from second when Tigers shortstop Andrew Romine misplayed center fielder Adam Jones’ grounder off right-hander Joba Chamberlain. That opened the door to a big inning, as Detroit manager Brad Ausmus needed three relievers to get through that frame.
Cruz and third baseman Ryan Flaherty added RBI singles, catcher Nick Hundley drove in a run with a groundout, and second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit a two-run double. De Aza capped the inning with a two-run double on his second at-bat of the frame.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy hit a solo homer for the Orioles in the seventh, and right fielder Nick Markakis put Baltimore in front for good with an RBI single in the second.
The Tigers lost despite hitting three solo homers. Designated hitter Victor Martinez and left fielder J.D. Martinez slugged back-to-back solo shots off Orioles starter Chris Tillman in the second. First baseman Miguel Cabrera added a homer in the eighth.
Tillman battled through five innings to earn the win. Detroit repeatedly fouled off pitches, forcing him to throw 105 overall. He gave up two runs on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
The Orioles bullpen took care of the final four innings, while the Tigers’ bullpen allowed seven runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Scherzer, the losing pitcher, was charged with five runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Baltimore took a 3-2 lead in the second on Markakis’ RBI hit with two outs. The bloop single scored Flaherty and gave Markakis two hits in his first two career postseason at bats.
In the first, Scherzer induced a double-play grounder from Jones after the first two Orioles reached. Cruz then followed with his 15th career postseason homer to put Baltimore up 2-0.
The Tigers quickly answered with back-to-back homers by Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez to tie the score.
Tillman retired 11 consecutive Detroit batters after the two homers before the Tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. Right fielder Torii Hunter grounded into a force play that ended Tillman’s night.
NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed that LHP Wei-Yin Chen will start Game 2. Showalter wouldn’t go past that but said RHP Miguel Gonzalez and RHP Bud Norris, likely starters in Games 3 and 4 (in some order), were going to be in the bullpen for Game 1. … RHP Ubaldo Jimenez was included on Baltimore’s ALDS roster in a mild surprise. LHP T.J. McFarland and LHP Brian Matusz were left off. The Tigers are a predominantly right-handed-hitting lineup, and Jimenez threw seven shutout innings against them in a May start and pitched well in two late-season starts. … Manager Brad Ausmus said Detroit will go with RHP Justin Verlander in Game 2, LHP David Price in Game 3 and RHP Rick Porcello in Game 4. … Detroit is 4-0 in the ALDS. The Tigers twice beat the New York Yankees (2006 and 2011) and the Oakland Athletics (2012, 2013).
