Nunez leads Orioles to 5-3 win over Tigers

Renato Nunez hit a two-run homer, and Jonathan Villar later added a solo shot that helped the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series Monday afternoon. Nunez has been hot lately after slumping for a bit. He now has hit six homers in his past eight games and 13 this season.

Gabriel Ynoa got his first start since 2017 and gave up two runs in four innings. He'd been pitching in long relief out of the bullpen but switched roles with Dan Straily after the latter had struggled in his May starts. This time, though, Straily (2-4) came on in relief and gave the Orioles four strong innings. He allowed one run on three hits and picked up the win.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he'd be using closer Mychal Givens in other spots due to his recent problems, and the skipper brought in Shawn Armstrong after Straily gave up a single to start the ninth. The Tigers threatened and had runners at second and third with two outs before Armstrong closed it for his first save. Detroit starter Daniel Norris (2-3) took the loss. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (two earned) and six hits, one of which was the homer from Nunez.

Nunez gave the Orioles an early lead when he hit that two-run homer in the bottom of the first. The ball was curling as it sailed toward the stands and banged off the foul pole in left to gave Baltimore a 2-0 lead. Detroit cut the lead to 2-1 when Grayson Greiner lined an RBI single to right in the second.

Baltimore added two more in the third. Nunez hit a grounder to shortstop Ronny Rodriguez, who made a wild throw to second that let Trey Mancini score all the way from first. Nunez ended up at third and scored when Pedro Severino hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead. JaCoby Jones got one back for the Tigers on his RBI single in the fourth. They made it 4-3 in the fifth on a Nicholas Castellanos double.

Villar then answered for the Orioles in the seventh with his homer off Victor Alcantara. --Field Level Media