Vierling drives in 4 as Tigers top Orioles 7-4 in DH opener

DETROIT -- — Matt Vierling had three hits and four RBI as the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.

Zach Short went 3 for 4 with a home run and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched effectively into the sixth inning for the Tigers, who improved to 2-12 against AL East opponents this season.

“I think hitting has some momentum with it and we got that going down the line,” Vierling said after Detroit finished with a season-best 16 hits. “This is a great win.”

Jorge Mateo had a three-run homer, but Baltimore lost for only the second time in 11 games.

Rodriguez (2-2) allowed one run on four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six. He is 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his last four starts.

“He was a little sluggish early — it was a noon start — but you look up and they've got one run on four hits,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He's earned the right to have a pretty OK day for him, which is still pretty effective.”

Alex Lange pitched the ninth for his third save.

Orioles starter Dean Kremer (2-1) gave up five runs on 11 hits and two walks in six innings.

“He gave us six innings, which is important in the first game of a doubleheader,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We've got a day game tomorrow, so you don't want to use anyone more than you need.”

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Javier Báez and a two-run single by Vierling.

“That was a tough inning,” Hyde said. “(Zach) McKinstry starts it with a fister over the infield, then we don't make a play at first. The pitch to Javy was a ball, but it isn't a ball to Javy unless you bury it, and then he made a bad pitch to Vierling.”

James McCann homered in the second, snapping Rodriguez's 18-inning scoreless streak. It was McCann's second home run for Baltimore, both against his former team.

Riley Greene made it 4-1 with an RBI single in the second, scoring McKinstry for the second time on his 28th birthday.

Vierling added RBI doubles in the third and seventh.

McCann popped out with the bases loaded to end the sixth, but Mateo trimmed it to 6-4 with a three-run homer off Mason Englert in the eighth.

Short, the No. 9 batter, homered in the eighth to make it 7-4.

“He got some really good advice,” Hinch said. “I told him to get a good pitch and (Eric) Haase told him to hit it out of the park. He listened to both of us.”

ROSTER MOVES

Baltimore added LHP DL Hall as the 27th man for the doubleheader. Hall allowed two runs and five hits over three innings of relief in his season debut.

Short was added as Detroit's 27th man for the twinbill.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: Placed OF Kerry Carpenter (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list and selected INF Andy Ibanez from Triple-A Toledo.

UP NEXT

Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez (0-0) was scheduled to start the second game of the doubleheader against Tigers LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 4.26 ERA).

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