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Monroe, Sheffield power Tigers over Orioles

May 2, 2007 - 8:25 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Orioles already have seen enough of Detroit Tigers sluggers Craig Monroe and Gary Sheffield this season.

Monroe snapped a tie with his second homer in as many days and Sheffield homered and drove in two runs as the Tigers defeated the slumping Orioles, 3-2, to complete a three-game series sweep.

All three of Monroe's home runs this season have come against Baltimore and Sheffield - who had his first four-hit game since September 7, 2004 - continues to thrive against the Orioles.

In his career against Baltimore, the dangerous righthanded hitter is batting .313 (83-for-265) with 17 home runs and 67 RBI.

Nate Robertson (3-1) picked up his first win since defeating the Orioles on April 10 in Baltimore. The lefthander allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out three.

Robertson has yet to surrender more than three earned runs in any of his six starts.

Two relievers held the Orioles scoreless through the eighth and Todd Jones pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save of the season, preserving Detroit's fourth win in a row.

Veteran Steve Trachsel (1-3) took the loss, allowing three runs and eight hits in seven innings. The 36-year-old righthander walked two and struck out one.

Trachsel allowed two home runs, including Monroe's sixth-inning blast that put the Tigers ahead for good at 3-2. After homering in Tuesday's game, Monroe lifted a 2-0 pitch from Trachsel over the wall in left field.

Sheffield hit his third home run of the season, blasting the first pitch he saw from Trachsel over the wall in left field in the first inning. He also homered in Monday's series opener.

Sheffield has worn out Trachsel, batting .407 (22-for-54) with five home runs and 10 RBI in his career.

The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the third and had a chance to break it open, but Robertson induced a double-play ball that limited the damage.

Corey Patterson and Brian Roberts opened with back-to-back single and Jay Payton delivered an RBI double. Following a strikeout of Miguel Tejada, Robertson walked Ramon Hernandez and Melvin Mora to force in a run. But the potential big inning ended when Kevin Millar grounded into a double play.

With help from the bullpen, Robertson also escaped trouble in the top of the seventh. After the Orioles advanced Chris Gomez to second with one out, Robertson got a flyout from Roberts before righthander Jason Grilli fanned Payton.

Tejada had two hits for the Orioles, who have lost four straight games and nine of 10.

Detroit will not play Baltimore again this season, although it probably wishes it did considering its 5-1 mark. The season series had become even more intriguing earlier in the week.

Sheffield was one of the key players in a benches-clearing brawl between the teams Monday. Tempers flared in the top of the fifth when Jeremy Bonderman's fastball forced Tejada to jump out of the batter's box.

Baltimore's shortstop did not take kindly to the pitch at his legs, immediately pointing his bat and shouting out at Bonderman. The benches emptied and some pushing and shoving occurred.

Sheffield earlier had been hit by a pitch from Daniel Cabrera and began shouting at the 6-7 righthander. The two had to be separated, but Sheffield got the last word by hammering a fastball from Cabrera into the left field seats in the fifth for a two-run homer.

Sheffield stood at the plate for a few moments before beginning his trot and traded glares with Cabrera as he made his way slowly around the bases.