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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Detroit Tigers made a serious move in the
standings during August, winning 18 of 28 games to get into the AL
wild card race. Now comes the hard part: climbing over .500 for the first time.
Juan Encarnacion singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth
inning and Deivi Cruz homered as the Detroit Tigers capped their
most successful month of the season by defeating the Baltimore
Orioles 6-1 Thursday night.
Jose Macias drove in two runs for the Tigers, whose torrid
August left them at .500 (66-66) after a 9-23 start.
"We're ready to make that September run. We just have to keep
doing what we're doing," said Dean Palmer, who had two hits. "We
had a meeting at the end of July and set our goal to win 17 in
August. We won 18, so it's a pretty good feeling."
But the Tigers need to pick up the pace if they are to make up
ground on the five teams ahead of them in the wild-card chase. Three times the Tigers have been at .500. Three times they've
failed to win their next game.
Still, manager Phil Garner was satisfied to get a split during a
six-game trip through Minnesota and Baltimore.
"Given the trouble that we've had with these two teams, to get
to .500 by going 3-3, I'll take it," he said. "We've managed to
play .500 without our offense putting 10 runs on the board every
night. That's good. We've gotten some good pitching."
Brian Moehler, vying to win his sixth straight start for
Detroit, allowed one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He had a
season-high eight strikeouts but failed to win for the first time
in August. Moehler was replaced by Danny Patterson (5-1), who struck out
Melvin Mora with runners at second and third and two outs.
Albert Belle drove in the lone run for the Orioles, who wasted
another fine effort by Mike Mussina. Baltimore has scored three
runs or less in 18 of his 29 starts this season. "It's just one of those things that happens," Orioles manager
Mike Hargrove said.
Mussina left after 96 pitches, as tightness in his groin cut
short his second straight start. "He was starting to have to alter his delivery to compensate,
and only bad things come from that," Hargrove said. "I thought
the best thing to do was get him out of there."
After Mussina left, Brad Ausmus hit a leadoff single in the
eighth off Mike Trombley (4-4). Pinch-hitter Wendell Magee greeted
Buddy Groom with a single and Encarnacion followed with a sharp
single to left.
Detroit pulled away with a four-run ninth that included a
two-run triple by Macias and an RBI single by Encarnacion.
Mussina gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, striking
out seven. The right-hander has allowed just one earned run in his
last three starts but has only one win in that span.
The Orioles put runners on second and third with one out in the
third before Moehler struck out Delino DeShields and Belle,
beginning a stretch in which he retired eight straight batters.
Cruz broke the scoreless duel in the fifth with his eighth
homer, a solo drive that landed two rows into the left-field seats.
It ended Mussina's string of 20 innings without allowing an earned
run.
Baltimore pulled even in the sixth when Mora hit a leadoff
double, took third on a bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Belle. It was the Orioles' first run for Mussina in 15 innings.
Game notes
Despite the loss, Baltimore won the season series 6-4. ...
The Orioles completed a 4-3 homestand and begin a season-long
13-game road trip Friday in Cleveland. ... Moehler had a 1.15 ERA
in two starts against Baltimore this year. ... Mussina recorded his
1,500th career strikeout in the sixth, fanning Encarnacion on three
pitches.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
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Tampa Bay 2
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Detroit 6
Baltimore 1
Texas 14
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Chicago Cubs 5
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