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Orioles, Tigers resume budding rivalry

May 1, 2007 - 3:12 PM Baltimore (12-14) at Detroit (14-11) 7:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) - Tempers again could be running high when the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers continue a three-game series Tuesday.

On April 11, tempers between the teams flared when when Adam Loewen of the Orioles and Justin Verlander were wild outside the strike zone.

There was another incident in Monday's series opener.

Tempers flared in the top of the fifth when Jeremy Bonderman's fastball forced Miguel Tejada to jump out of the batter's box. Tejada, who has been hit by a pitch three times this season, had taken a similar pitch around his legs before fighting off a fastball up around the letters in his previous at-bat, grounding out to the catcher while his bat shattered.

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

Gary Sheffield, who had been hit by a pitch by Daniel Cabrera in the third inning - presumably in response to Tejada's third-inning at-bat - began shouting at the Orioles' tall righthander and the two had to be separated.

Sheffield got the last word, hammering a fastball from Cabrera into the left field seats in the bottom of the fifth for a two-run homer, giving Detroit the lead for good at 5-3.

Sheffield stayed at the plate for a few moments before beginning his home run trot, and he and Cabrera stared at each other as he made his way slowly around the bases.

Loewen (3-2, 3.20 ERA) will try to cool the suddenly hot Sheffield on Tuesday. The young lefthander held the Tigers without a run for five innings April 11, settling for a no-decision when the game the Tigers won in 12 innings.

Chad Durbin (1-1, 6.65) picked up his first win for Detroit in his last start, when he threw eight scoreless innings to beat Chicago last Wednesday.