It certainly was not the spot Sam Perlozzo wanted for Kurt Birkins, but with all his other options in the bullpen exhausted, the Orioles manager had no choice.
So, in a scoreless game in the 12th inning, Perlozzo summoned Birkins, who had not pitched in a game since extended spring training on March 30. The Orioles lefthander was one out from getting out of the inning unscathed before surrendering a grand slam to the Detroit Tigers' Craig Monroe.
Monroe ripped a 1-1 pitch that sailed through the cold air and steady rain and disappeared over the center-field wall, helping the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Orioles before 13,288, the second smallest crowd in Camden Yards history.
The Orioles, who fell to 3-6, scored just two runs in the last 24 innings of the series. Their only run yesterday came in the 12th when Tigers reliever Bobby Seay was called for a balk with Corey Patterson on third. The Orioles managed only six hits (two in the 12th inning) and left 11 runners on.
The frustration is certainly mounting. Brian Roberts tossed aside his bat in disgust after one at-bat. Aubrey Huff slammed his into the ground, breaking it into two.
Scott Williamson pitched out of a jam in the top of the 11th, stranding Monroe at third with one out thanks to a strikeout of Brandon Inge and a flyout by Curtis Granderson. But Birkins, who was recalled last weekend when catcher Ramon Hernandez went on the disabled list and was the seventh reliever Perlozzo used last night, was unable to do the same.
Ivan Rodriguez led off the 12th with a single and moved to second on Magglio Ordonez's infield single. Birkins then walked Carlos Guillen, bringing up Monroe with the bases loaded.
Adam Loewen pitched five scoreless innings, exiting the game after getting out of a basesloaded jamin the fifth. On a night when he repeatedly got out of jams to keep the game scoreless, Loewen perhaps showed the most guts in hitting Gary Sheffield with two outs in the fifth.
Two innings earlier, Detroit starter Justin Verlander had hit Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada in the lower back with a pitch. Loewen?s pitch, the first of the atbat with Sheffield, hit the Tigers designated hitter in the upper back. Sheffield took his base without even looking at Loewen, but both benches were issued a warning by home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman.
