Alex Avila homered and drove in five runs as the visiting Detroit Tigers handed the Baltimore Orioles their first loss of the season, 7-3, on Wednesday.

Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez each homered and Justin Verlander (1-0) earned the win for the Tigers.

After getting nearly flawless performances from their first four starters, the Orioles, who allowed just four runs in their first four games, were forced to give Brad Bergesen a turn in the rotation due to Jeremy Guthrie’s illness. Bergesen could not live up to the standard of his peers, allowing a two-run double to Avila in the second to put Baltimore behind for the first time this season.

Avila added a two-run blast in the fourth and Bergesen (0-1) did not make it through that frame, being charged with four runs - two earned - and five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Cabrera and Martinez went back-to-back off Josh Rupe in the fifth to give Verlander more than enough cushion. The righthander struck out nine and allowed three runs on four hits in eight innings.

Derrek Lee hit a two-run homer and Vladimir Guerrero added an RBI for the Orioles.