Scott's 4 RBIs help Hernandez to victory in MLB debut

BALTIMORE -- Add David Hernandez to the expanding list of Baltimore Orioles rookie pitchers who have collected a win and a game ball following their first major league start.

Hernandez took a four-hitter into the sixth inning, Luke Scott homered twice and had four RBIs, and the Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Thursday night for their season-high fourth straight victory.

Nolan Reimold also homered for the Orioles. The rookie has connected in three straight games and has five in 14 games since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on May 14.

Hernandez (1-0) allowed one run, five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Recalled from Norfolk before the game, the right-hander became the fourth Oriole this season to win his first start -- joining Koji Uehara, Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken.

These are truly good times for the Orioles, who will add catching prospect Matt Wieters to the mix Friday night.

"Everybody is jumping around. Everybody is happy. Everybody has smiles on everybody's faces," center fielder Adam Jones said. "The team is getting a little younger, but it is getting more interesting. Everybody is enjoying it."

Jones finished the proceedings by stuffing a shaving-cream pie into Hernandez's face during the rookie's postgame interview. One day earlier, Reimold got the pie treatment after hitting a game-ending homer in the 11th against Toronto.

How long can this continue?

"As long as we keep winning," Jones said. "I guess Wieters will be here tomorrow, so hopefully we can pie him."

Scott hit a solo shot in the second inning and a three-run drive in the eighth off Ryan Perry. It was Scott's sixth career two-homer game, and gave him three longballs in two starts since returning from the disabled list on Wednesday.

"He's hit some big, big shots for us," manager Dave Trembley said.

Armando Galarraga (3-5) gave up three runs and 10 hits over seven-plus innings in losing his fifth straight decision.

"He pitched very well," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "He gave us a chance to win."

After Hernandez left in the sixth with runners at first and third, Matt Albers walked Gerald Laird to load the bases before striking out Ramon Santiago.

In the seventh, Jim Johnson retired Miguel Cabrera on a popup with two outs and a runner on third. One inning later, Johnson got Laird to hit into an inning-ending double play with two runners on.

Clete Thomas drove in the lone run for the Tigers, who stranded 10 and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

"We were terrible tonight, just terrible," Leyland said. "You can't do that up here and win games."

Cabrera said, "We left a lot of runners on base. You don't score runs, you can't win."

Hernandez got off to a shaky start, giving up two walks and a single in the first to load the bases with two outs for Brandon Inge, who hit a routine fly to left.

"You don't quit after the first inning, but that would have been a nice inning to put a little something on him," Leyland said. "[Hernandez] was very good. I was very impressed with him."

Hernandez retired eight straight batters until Curtis Granderson hit a broken-bat single in the fourth. Inge then bounced into a double play.

Thomas hit a tying RBI single with two out in the fifth, but Reimold connected in the bottom half to put Baltimore back in front.

Game notes
Scott's four RBIs were a season high. ... Detroit OF Magglio Ordonez extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a first-inning single. ... To make room for Hernandez on the roster, the Orioles optioned reliever Chris Ray (0-1, 9.39 ERA) to Norfolk. Hernandez replaced Uehara (hamstring) in the rotation. ... Inge lost hold of his bat in the sixth inning, and it nearly hit Leyland in the dugout. ... The Orioles have eight homers in their last three games.