Jackson Holliday’s first hit in three games since making his season debut this week was a two-run go-ahead home run in the fourth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles went on to beat the visiting Detroit Tigers 7-4 in the first game of a three-game series Friday night.
Pete Alonso smashed a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs as the Orioles snapped a three-game skid to open a 10-game homestand. Gunnar Henderson racked up three hits and Holliday, Adley Rutschman and Leody Taveras all had two hits for Baltimore.
Kevin McGonigle homered for the Tigers, who suffered their seventh consecutive defeat. Hao-Yu Lee had two hits and drove in two runs.
The Orioles used Keegan Akin for one inning as an opener, with McGonigle homering to right-center on the game’s first pitch for his third long ball of the season. Chris Bassitt (4-3) took over on the mound and lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Anthony Nunez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.
Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-6) gave up six runs (three earned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings despite striking out seven without a walk.
Detroit’s Gage Workman doubled to lead off the third and scored on Lee’s double for a 2-0 lead.
Alonso’s three-run blast to right with two outs in the third gave the Orioles their first lead on his 10th homer of the season.
The Tigers countered in the fourth, with Zach McKinstry’s fielder’s choice grounder tying the game and Lee’s two-out infield single pushing across a run for a 4-3 edge.
Baltimore rallied in the bottom of the fourth, with Flaherty’s balk allowing Colton Cowser to score before Holliday’s home run with two outs.
Holliday’s opposite-field homer went down the left field line and the ball struck at the base of the foul pole, charting at only 337 feet. He had gone 0-for-2 in both games at Tampa Bay earlier this week after beginning the season on the injured list with a broken bone in his right hand.
Alonso tacked on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
