The Detroit Tigers played the Baltimore Orioles to a 1-1 draw at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Tuesday in spring training action. Wenceel Pérez led the offensive effort with a 1-for-4 day, but neither club could land the decisive blow. On the mound, Justin Verlander turned in a solid outing, working 4.2 innings of 1-run ball with six strikeouts. The Orioles out-hit the Tigers 7-4 on the day. The draw is part of the exhibition experience, and the coaching staff will evaluate the individual performances as they continue assembling the Opening Day roster.
Key Performers
Wenceel Pérez was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-4. His steady bat was exactly what the lineup needed. Performances like this give the Tigers confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Dillon Dingler also contributed, going 1-for-3, Austin Slater chipped in, going 1-for-2, and Jahmai Jones added to the attack, going 1-for-2. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Bryan Ramos led the Orioles offense with a 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and an RBI day. Samuel Basallo also contributed, going 1-for-4 with a double. Pete Alonso added a 1-for-3 effort as well. The Orioles offense proved to be too much for the Tigers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Justin Verlander got the start, delivering a strong performance, working 4.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits with six strikeouts. He threw 76 pitches in the outing. It was exactly the kind of outing the Tigers need from their pitching staff heading into the regular season.
The bullpen was outstanding, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings while striking out eight. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Burch Smith stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Orioles got on the board first with a run in the fifth inning. The Tigers struck back with a run in the eighth. Orioles out-hit the Tigers 7-4, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 7,249 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Tigers will move on from the draw as spring training continues. Exhibition games can end in ties under spring training rules, and the coaching staff will focus on the individual performances rather than the outcome as they finalize their roster ahead of Opening Day. Every at-bat and every inning on the mound is valuable preparation for the regular season ahead.
