Detroit, MI (Best E Casino) - Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Guillen both homered in the fourth, as the Tigers took a 5-3 victory from the Baltimore Orioles, knotting their three-game series at a game apiece.

Justin Verlander (9-13) went six innings allowing just two unearned runs and four hits. The righty struck out six and walked three in his first win since July 20. He had lost his previous four starts.

"I was able to get some swings and misses when I needed them and some ground balls," Verlander said. "After (the unearned runs), (Guillen) picked me up in a big way."

Cabrera finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco added two hits apiece for the Tigers, who have won two of three. Fernando Rodney pitched around a two-out single in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Dennis Sarfate (4-3) struggled to keep the Tigers off the bases, giving up four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out five in taking the loss.

"You have to learn what you can and can't do," Sarfate said. "I though this was definitely a learning step, a big step in the right direction -- you have to look back on the positives and move forward."

Melvin Mora went 2-for-3 while Luke Scott and Juan Castro each went 2-for-4 in the Orioles loss, their first after winning three straight.

Cabrera tied things up leading off the fourth, crushing a Sarfate pitch deep to center field for his 25th home run of the season. Guillen added another solo blast in the inning -- his 10th on the year -- to put the Tigers in front, 3-2.

Detroit added another run in the fifth. Back-to-back one-out singles by Granderson and Polanco and a four-pitch walk to Magglio Ordonez loaded the bases. Two batters later, Gary Sheffield worked a walk to force in a run.

Granderson's two-out RBI single in the sixth gave the Tigers a 5-2 lead.

Guillermo Quiroz led off the seventh for the Orioles with a double off Francis Beltran and Castro followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Brian Roberts then grounded into a run-scoring double-play.

Kyle Farnsworth worked a scoreless eighth before Rodney came in to close it out in the ninth.

Detroit struck first in the second inning. Cabrera led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Sheffield's RBI single.

The Orioles took the lead with a pair of runs in the third thanks to a defensive miscue by the Tigers. Castro hit a one-out single, and two batters later Nick Markakis doubled to put runners on second and third with two outs. Mora followed with a ground ball to Guillen, whose errant throw to first allowed both runners to score for a 2-1 Baltimore lead.

Game Notes

The season series between the two clubs is tied 3-3...Mora has hit in 13 of 14 games, going 28-for-60 (.467) with three homers and 20 RBI...Edgar Renteria had an eight-game hitting streak snapped after going 0-for-4...Ordonez' 14- game hitting streak also ended Saturday, going 0-for-3...Guillen had two errors in the game with a pair of errant throws to first base...Jay Payton was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing a call at first base...This was Verlander's first start this season in which he did not give up an earned run.