One day after breaking up a no-hitter in the ninth inning, Gunnar Henderson hit a home run and a double to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Henderson drove in two runs and scored twice, helping the Orioles close the gap to two games behind the AL East-leading Yankees. On Friday night, he had a triple with two outs in the ninth, which was the Orioles’ only hit in a 1-0 loss to Detroit.
Corbin Burnes (14-8) pitched seven innings, allowing only two hits for Baltimore on Saturday.
“That’s his best start of the year,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He just had everything going tonight.”
The Tigers were down 4-0 going into the ninth inning, but Parker Meadows ended Detroit’s 15-inning scoreless streak with a homer off Seranthony Domínguez. Colt Keith followed with a single, but Domínguez retired Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene on deep flyballs.
Wenceel Pérez struck out but reached first when the ball got away from James McCann. Spencer Torkelson made it 4-2 with an RBI single before Zach McKinstry grounded out to first.
“We put on a nice fight at the end,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “These guys never quit. We know that.”
The Tigers (76-73) had won five of their last six games. They are trying to catch the Twins (78-70) for the third AL wild card spot.
Burnes struck out seven and walked one.
“That’s as good as I have seen him in a long time,” McCann said. “That’s what your ace does — he gives you a chance to win big games.”
Beau Brieske pitched a scoreless first inning, becoming the first Tigers pitcher to start on consecutive days since Hal Newhouser in 1946.
