The Detroit Tigers played the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-4 draw at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Sunday in spring training action. Austin Slater led the offensive effort with a 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day, but neither club could land the decisive blow. Jack Flaherty worked 1.0 innings on the mound, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit. The Orioles out-hit the Tigers 9-7 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
Austin Slater was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Tigers offense.
Max Anderson provided support, going 1-for-2 with two RBI, Max Clark also contributed, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Corey Julks chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a double. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Pete Alonso led the Orioles offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Heston Kjerstad also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Reed Trimble added a 2-for-3 with an RBI 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
Jack Flaherty got the start, having a rough go of it, working 1.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 18 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 7.3 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out seven. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations.
Among the relievers, Bryan Sammons stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Orioles got on the board first with a run in the first inning. Orioles pushed across a run in the second. The Tigers struck back with two runs in the second. Orioles answered with a run in the third. The Tigers responded with a run in the third. Orioles countered with a run in the fourth. The Tigers struck back with a run in the ninth. Orioles out-hit the Tigers 9-7, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,039 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.
