Jackson pitches into 9th, Tigers top O’s
August 6, 2009
DETROIT (AP)—Edwin Jackson’s(notes) pitch counts have been almost the same in hislast two starts.
The results have been completely different.
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Five days after needing 115 pitches to get through four innings, Jacksononly needed 117 to get into the ninth inning of Detroit’s 4-2 victory over theBaltimore Orioles Wednesday night.
Jackson (8-5) had held the Orioles to two hits through eight shutoutinnings, but hit Nolan Reimold(notes) with a pitch to start the ninth. Adam Jones(notes)followed with a homer to left. Fernando Rodney(notes) entered and got three outs forhis 22nd save in 23 tries.
“Obviously, I was able to do more tonight with my pitches,” said Jackson,who struck out eight. “Tonight I just wanted to attack the strike zone and getouts.”
Jackson has only allowed those two runs in two wins over Baltimore thisseason, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland blamed himself for ruining Jackson’s16-inning shutout streak against the Orioles. Leyland felt he should havechanged pitchers after the Tigers sent eight batters to the plate in a three-runeighth.
“He was pitching a two-hit shutout, so I wanted to get him back out there,but as that inning went on and he had to sit there, I started thinking that Ishould bring in Rodney,” Leyland said. “If we had gone out 1-2-3, I’m sure hewould have been fine, but I shouldn’t have let him sit that long. That’s myfault.”
Jeremy Guthrie(notes) (7-11) gave up three runs on six hits in 7 1-3 innings.
“I expected him to pitch that way tonight,” Orioles manager Dave Trembleysaid. “It was a quality start, and I was pleased with his performance. It wasjust unfortunate that he had to go against Jackson, who was special tonight.”
Baltimore’s only hit in the first six innings came as a result of a Detroitdefensive blunder. With two outs in the first, Jones hit a blooper towardsecond. First baseman Miguel Cabrera(notes) tried to make the play, but pulled off atthe last second as the ball dropped for an infield single.
“He had great movement on his pitches, and he was hitting 98 (mph) with thefastball,” said Luke Scott(notes). “He just had it all.”
Ordonez broke the scoreless tie with his sixth homer in the fifth, but hitinto an inning-ending double play with two runners on in the seventh.
Placido Polanco(notes) gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead with a two-run single off ClaMeredith(notes) in the eighth, and Cabrera provided the final run with an RBI singlelater in the inning.
“Those were some big hits,” Leyland said of his struggling offense.“Maggs had a big hit, Polly had a big one and Cabrera got one. That’s what weneeded.”
NOTES: Jackson has only lost once in 11 career starts at Comerica Park.“It’s just a coincidence, I think,” he said. “It isn’t like I throw differentpitches here than I do at any other stadium. I’ve just had good games when I’vebeen here.” … Ten of Baltimore’s last 13 losses have been by one or two runs.… Detroit C Alex Avila(notes), son of assistant general manager Al Avila, is expectedto make his major league debut Thursday afternoon against the Orioles.
