Alonso’s four RBIs lift Orioles past Tigers in Camden Yards slugfest

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a team simply out-slug its opponent, and that’s precisely what the Baltimore Orioles did to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at Camden Yards. The final score of 7-4 doesn’t capture the full narrative of this game, but it tells you what you need to know: when the Orioles needed to make a play, they made it, and when they needed to manufacture runs, they manufactured them. Pete Alonso was the story, and frankly, it wasn’t even close.

Let’s dispense with the pleasantries. Jack Flaherty got absolutely shelled in this one. Three and one-third innings is an embarrassment for a pitcher of his pedigree, even if the strikeout total looked respectable on the surface. Eight hits allowed in that span? That’s not a quality start trajectory, that’s a quick exit to the bullpen, and the Tigers’ pitching staff never really recovered from that early collapse.

The damage came in the third inning when Alonso unloaded a three-run bomb that made it 3-1 Baltimore. This wasn’t luck. This wasn’t a bloop hit or a broken-bat single. This was a guy elevating his game at exactly the right moment, and it set the tone for everything that followed. Alonso would add a sacrifice fly later in the sixth, finishing with four RBIs on the night, which is the kind of performance that wins close games and sends opposing managers back to the drawing board.

The Tigers Put Up a Fight, But Not Enough

Detroit came out swinging. Kevin McGonigle smashed a first-pitch home run in the top of the first to give the Tigers an early lead, and Hao-Yu Lee drove in a run with a double in the third. The Tigers added two more runs in the fourth inning to make it 3-3, which meant they were absolutely in this game at that point. This wasn’t a walkover. This was a legitimate fight between two teams that can hit.

But here’s the difference between winning and losing ballgames: the Orioles had Chris Bassitt on the mound, and while his line wasn’t pristine, he did exactly what he needed to do. Four and one-third innings, three earned runs, four strikeouts, and zero walks. That’s a pitcher managing his stuff and his situation. Jackson Holliday added insurance with his own home run in the fourth, his first of the season, and suddenly the Tigers were chasing rather than competing.

Bassitt and Nunez Get It Done When It Matters

Anthony Nunez closed this one out with a clean inning, striking out two to seal the victory. This is what competent relief pitching looks like. No dramatics, no walks, just execution on the pitches that matter. Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson went 3-for-5 and was a constant thorn in the Tigers’ side all evening, putting pressure on Detroit’s defense throughout the night.

The Orioles now sit in a position of strength heading into the weekend, having proven they can win the ugly, slugfest-style games that separate contenders from pretenders. The Tigers? They need to figure out their pitching depth quickly, because if Flaherty can’t get through more than three innings against a middling Baltimore lineup, they’re going to have serious problems down the stretch. Friday’s loss was winnable, and that might sting the most.