DETROIT (AP) - Hitless in his last 30 at-bats, Tyler Collins finally snapped that long skid and was rewarded for his patience.
Collins hit two home runs, and the Detroit Tigers held off the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Wednesday night. After leaving the bases loaded twice in extra innings in a loss Tuesday night, Collins ended his 0-for-30 stretch with a solo homer in the second inning, then added a three-run shot in the fifth.
“I know it’s like, statistically an 0 for 30, but I felt great throughout the whole time. I hit a lot of hard balls,” Collins said. “That’s just baseball, so you can’t get beat up by it.”
Collins gave Detroit’s offense a boost while Miguel Cabrera sat out with a strained oblique. Michael Fulmer (5-1) wasn’t at his best, allowing three earned runs and 10 hits in seven innings, but the Tigers gave him enough support.
Justin Wilson allowed two baserunners in the ninth but retired Adam Jones and Manny Machado for his third save in four chances. Machado struck out to end it when first base umpire C.B. Bucknor ruled he swung at the final pitch. Machado, who had tried to check his swing, slammed his helmet down in frustration after the call.
“I just looked at it again. He didn’t go,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said afterward. “It was an emotional spot and the crowd wanted it and he gave in.”
Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2) allowed five runs in five innings.
The Tigers lost 13-11 in 13 innings Tuesday. Collins had chances to win the game in the 11th and 12th, but was unable to come through with the bases full. He did not have a hit since May 1, but manager Brad Ausmus had seen some positive signs.
“He wasn’t having bad at-bats, so that’s why I stuck with him,” Ausmus said.
Collins connected in the second to tie the game at 1. Ian Kinsler put Detroit ahead with an RBI single later in the inning.
The Orioles scored twice in the fourth - one of the runs was unearned because of a throwing error by shortstop Jose Iglesias - and an RBI double by Mark Trumbo in the fifth gave Baltimore a 4-2 lead.
Collins came up in the bottom half with two on and two outs and gave the Tigers the lead again with a drive to right. He also added a double in the eighth.
Baltimore won Tuesday after Trumbo tied it with a ninth-inning homer. The Tigers nearly let Wednesday’s game slip away as well.
Jones was 10 for 20 with runners in scoring position this season when he came up in the ninth with men on first and second and one out. Wilson got him to hit a fly to right, and Machado’s at-bat ended on the call by Bucknor.
Welington Castillo had three hits for the Orioles for a second straight night.
ROSTER MOVES
The Orioles recalled right-hander Miguel Castro from Double-A Bowie and right-hander Stefan Crichton from Triple-A Norfolk. The team optioned left-hander Donnie Hart to Norfolk and designated catcher Francisco Pena for assignment.
MAKEUP
The Tigers announced they’ll play a split doubleheader at home July 1 against Cleveland. The teams had a game postponed May 4.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: All-Star closer Zach Britton (left forearm strain) is expected to throw from 60 feet Thursday, according to Showalter.
Tigers: Cabrera was a late scratch from the lineup. Ausmus said the slugger is likely to miss only two or three days.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (5-1) takes the mound in the series finale Thursday. He’s had a quality start in all eight of his outings this season.
Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (3-2) will try to reach 1,000 career strikeouts. He needs nine more.
___
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
___
Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister
Please read our comment policy before commenting.