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Orioles-Tigers Preview

Jul 5, 2010 - 11:22 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Baltimore (25-56) at Detroit (43-37), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The more Armando Galarraga takes the mound, the more it looks like his near-perfect night at Comerica Park in early June was largely the result of good luck.

Galarraga has a 6.00 ERA since his controversial one-hitter, and the Detroit Tigers right-hander will look to bounce back from his shortest outing of the season when he takes the mound Tuesday night against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

Galarraga (3-2, 4.50 ERA) was the talk of the majors when he essentially retired all 28 batters he faced June 2, the last after umpire Jim Joyce blew what would have been the game's final out at first base.

Though it seemed like that might be an indication that Galarraga was reverting back to his form from his rookie 2008 season (13-7, 3.73 ERA), he has since looked more like the pitcher that went 6-10 with a 5.64 ERA last season. He's surrendered 14 runs over 14 1-3 innings in his last three starts after lasting just four innings and allowing six runs in Tuesday's 11-4 loss at Minnesota.

Four of the seven hits he allowed went for extra bases, including three in the first inning.

"I started realizing they're going to be aggressive with me (after the first)," Galarraga told the Tigers' official website. "I threw a lot of breaking balls. They still were real aggressive. What can I say? They got so many doubles and triples."

If there's hope for Galarraga, it's that he's pitched well at home even aside from the one-hitter. He's 2-0 with a 2.22 ERA in five games at Comerica, but just 1-2 with a 7.78 ERA on the road.

Additionally, the Tigers (44-37) have proven difficult to beat at home regardless of who's on the mound.

Rookie Andy Oliver allowed six runs and recorded only five outs Monday afternoon, but Detroit's offense kept pace with the Orioles (25-57). Carlos Guillen and Brandon Inge combined for six hits and seven RBIs as the Tigers bounced back from being shut down by Seattle's Cliff Lee a day earlier to top Baltimore 12-9.

Detroit is an AL-best 28-12 at home.

"We know we've got a great lineup that just got shut down by a great pitcher," said Guillen, a .322 road hitter who bumped his home average to .269. "Today, we did what a good team should do and bounced back."

Many feel Jake Arrieta (2-2, 5.81) has the potential to be great, and the rookie right-hander won his first two major league starts while posting a 2.77 ERA.

He's 0-2 with an 8.78 ERA in his last three, however, after allowing four runs, seven hits and walking four over six innings in an 8-1 loss to Oakland on Thursday.

After lasting a total of 7 1-3 innings in his previous two starts, though, Arrieta felt like he'd taken a step in the right direction.

"(My) delivery and my tempo was a lot better," Arrieta told the Orioles' official website. "I felt like I was more controlled out there. ... Although I'm not happy about (losing), I think it's definitely something to build off."

Interim manager Juan Samuel certainly wasn't happy after Baltimore's fourth loss in five games Monday, hinting at roster changes - likely in his taxed bullpen - before the series continues.

"We're looking at a lot of things - whether we need an extra pitcher after using the 'pen so much today or whether we need another hitter," he said.