Baltimore, MD (Best E Casino) - Justin Verlander's three-hit, 8 2/3-inning gem led the Tigers to a 5-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles to earn a split in the four-game series at Camden Yards.

Verlander (8-9) walked three batters while striking out three and retiring 16 in a row between the second and seventh innings for Detroit, which had dropped its previous two.

"That's a big time pitcher coming up big time for us when we needed it the most. We were short going into the game and he knew it," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He kept his composure; he didn't try to overthrow. That's a big time performance when we needed it the most. Tremendous."

Four Tigers had multi-hit games including Magglio Ordonez and Marcus Thames, who both hit solo home runs. Ryan Raburn had a pair of RBI singles while Ramon Santiago was 2-for-4.

Brian Burres (7-6) allowed three runs on six hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings while striking out five for Baltimore, which has dropped four of its last six.

"They're a very good hitting club. They're patient with two strikes. They foul off a lot of pitches. They're real professional," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "A lot of experience in the lineup. And Verlander pitched a heck of a game. That's kind of the whole game right there."

Sunday has not been a good day for the Orioles this season as the team has lost 15 straight games on the final day of the week.

Luke Scott had an RBI double while Aubrey Huff walked twice and scored the home team's lone run.

Ordonez's two-out home run, his 13th, tied the game at one in the top of the third. In the sixth, Thames' 19th blast with one out hugged the foul pole in left to put Detroit on top. Unsure whether the ball was fair, the umpires gathered as Thames paused his home run trot between second and third base before the hit was ruled a homer.

Raburn's bloop single two batters later scored Brandon Inge, who followed Thames with a double, and chased Burres from the game in favor of Lance Cormier.

Detroit took a 5-1 lead in he eighth to put the game away. Miguel Cabrera and Thames led off with a single and double, respectively, as Cormier was pulled for Randor Bierd. The O's third pitcher got Inge on a chopper to short, but Cabrera came home on the play. Raburn followed with a two-out single to score Thames.

Verlander walked Brian Roberts to start the ninth before getting Nick Markakis to ground into a double play. Melvin Mora then drew a walk prompting Leyland to pull Verlander, who walked off the mound shaking his head, from the game. It would have been his fourth career complete game and second this season.

Todd Jones walked Huff before Inge made a diving stop up the third base line and threw Kevin Millar out at first to end the game.

Scott's one-out RBI double in the second scored Huff, who led off with a walk, for a 1-0 lead. They were the only Orioles baserunners in the first 6 2/3 innings before Millar's double in the seventh.

Game Notes

Detroit has won seven of its last nine games against Baltimore...Mora's streak of three consecutive games with a home run ended...Baltimore is one Sunday loss shy of the modern major league record set by the Philadelphia Phillies...Center fielder Adam Jones was held out of the Orioles starting lineup in favor if Jay Payton.