BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles turned to their bullpen a little sooner than they were probably expecting to in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Starter Chris Tillman threw 105 pitches in just five innings, and with Miguel Cabrera leading off the top of the sixth, the Orioles called upon a reliever Detroit is very familiar with.
Former Tiger Andrew Miller took the mound to face the player he was traded to the Florida Marlins for nearly seven years ago.
Miller lost the brief "who won the trade" moment, walking Cabrera, but won the battle against the rest of the Tigers he faced in 1 2/3 innings pitched.
Miller retired two straight batters, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez, before Alex Avila popped out to end the inning.
In the seventh, Nick Castellanos ground out, and Miller struck out Andrew Romine. Miller was then relieved by Darren O'Day, and walked off the field to a standing ovation.
If things had gone differently just a few short months ago, it could have been Tigers fans cheering for Miller's performance. It was rumored that Detroit was after Miller when the team signed David Price at the trade deadline.
Instead, Miller was traded to the Orioles in exchange for minor-league pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez. He helped Baltimore clinch its first AL East title in 17 years, earning two wins in 23 games played. He ended the regular season with a 1.35 ERA.
Miller -- the Tigers' first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2006 -- made his major-league debut two and a half months after signing with Detroit, pitching one scoreless inning against the New York Yankees.
He made his first major-league start May 18, 2007 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Seven months later, Miller was traded to Florida along with Dallas Trahern, Burke Badenhop, Frankie De La Cruz, Cameron Maybe and Mike Rabelo in exchange for Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.
