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Wednesday, Aug. 30 7:35pm ET
Mercedes 3-0 against Tigers this season | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Detroit Tigers ran into the wrong pitcher in their effort to finally get over .500. Jose Mercedes pitched a two-hitter for his first complete game since 1997, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-1 victory Wednesday night. Mercedes (10-5) permitted only three baserunners in improving to 7-1 since the All-Star break. Damion Easley got an infield hit in the second inning, Jose Macias walked in the third and Brad Ausmus homered in the eighth. Ausmus was the only runner to get past first base against Mercedes, who is 3-0 against Detroit this season. Mercedes retired 16 straight batters before Ausmus connected, ruining the right-hander's bid for his second career shutout. But Mercedes improved to 4-0 lifetime against the Tigers. Two of his three complete games in the majors have come against Detroit, including a four-hit shutout in August 1997 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. "Every time I face them I want to do good. I remember every one of those games," he said. "Tonight everything was working -- the changeup, fastball, slider. I feel terrific. This was my best game all year." Phil Garner was manager of the Brewers when Mercedes threw his lone career shutout. This time, he was on the receiving end of a Mercedes' masterpiece. "He's a competitor. He just finds a way to win," Garner said. "He pitched pretty decent for me, doing that in Milwaukee." Of Mercedes' 99 pitches, 62 were strikes. "He threw strikes and got ahead of a lot of hitters," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "He kept them off stride by changing speeds; he opened with two 86 mph fastballs, then threw one at 94." Mark Lewis had three hits and two RBI for the Orioles, who have won seven of 10. The Tigers, who started the season 9-23, have reached .500 three times this month. But they've failed on each occasion to rise above the break-even point. "We've got to do it. We've got to build some more steam," Garner said. "Now we need to get back to .500, and we have to do it against a tough guy tomorrow." The Tigers are slated to face Mike Mussina in the series finale Thursday night. It would be difficult for Mussina to top Mercedes, who baffled the Tigers from start to finish. "He's had a lot of success against a bunch of guys in the second half, right? It's not just us," said Bobby Higginson, who went 0-for-4. Mercedes' seven wins in the second half is tied with Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees for most in the AL. Hideo Nomo (5-11), vying for his third straight win, allowed four runs and five hits in five-plus innings. The Orioles used four-run sixth to take a 5-0 lead. After Delino DeShields chased Nomo with a single to load the bases, Albert Belle singled in two runs off Willie Blair and Jeff Conine added an RBI single. Chris Richard then greeted Matt Anderson with a run-scoring single. One out later, Lewis drew a bases-loaded walk. Nomo matched Mercedes through four innings before Baltimore broke through in the fifth. Richard drew a leadoff walk, got to third with one out and scored on Lewis' single off the right-field scoreboard. It was the Orioles' first run against Nomo in 12 innings this year. Game notesAfter the game the Orioles optioned LHP John Parrish to Triple-A Rochester and activated RHP Alan Mills off the 15-day disabled list. ... Easley was ejected in the eighth by umpire Scott Higgins for arguing a called third strike. ... Orioles CF Luis Matos will be out 3-5 days with a bruised left shoulder, an injury that occurred during a play at first base Tuesday. ... Lewis was 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts before being cut down in the fifth. ... Belle is 5-for-8 with 12 RBI with the bases loaded. It was his first multiple-RBI game since Aug. 12. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Detroit Clubhouse Baltimore Clubhouse RECAPS Kansas City 8 Minnesota 7
Baltimore 5
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