Another day, another loss.
The Detroit Tigers have lost 12 of 14 games, all since losing left-hander Tarik Skubal to the injured list – and now, they’ve dropped two straight to the Cleveland Guardians in an American League Central rivalry.
This time, the Tigers took a 4-3 loss to the Guardians on Tuesday, May 19, in the second of four games in the series at Comerica Park, with the Guardians scoring the go-ahead run off left-handed reliever Tyler Holton in the seventh inning.
For that run, Steven Kwan hit a leadoff double off Holton’s first-pitch, middle-middle sinker, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout.
The Tigers had their best chance for redemption in the eighth inning, but they stranded the bases loaded. (They also stranded two runners in the ninth inning.)
The three outs in the eighth: Dillon Dingler struck out swinging with a runner on first, pinch-hitter Colt Keith (replacing Spencer Torkelson) grounded into a force out with runners on first and second, and pinch-hitter Zach McKinstry (replacing Hao-Yu Lee) grounded out with the bases loaded.
The outs from Keith and McKinstry were against right-handed reliever Hunter Gaddis.
The Tigers (20-29) and Guardians (28-22) meet again Wednesday (6:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet). Manager A.J. Hinch will rely on a traditional bullpen-only game.
In Tuesday’s game, the Tigers and Guardians traded three runs apiece before the late innings.
Both starting pitchers (right-hander Keider Montero for the Tigers and left-hander Parker Messick for the Guardians) were responsible for three runs over five innings.
A small-ball style of play – nicknamed “Guards Ball” last season in Clevelands run to the AL Central title – manufactured the first run.
Kyle Manzardo hit a single and Travis Bazzana drew a walk to kickstart the second inning, then a sacrifice bunt from Angel Martínez advanced both runners into scoring position. Kwan, known for his high-contact hitting profile, delivered a sacrifice fly on Montero’s first-pitch curveball in the strike zone to put the Guardians ahead, 1-0.
The Guardians made it look easy.
(Just like they did in the seventh inning to score the go-ahead run.)
The Tigers responded to “Guards Ball” with a two-run home run from Torkelson – aka, a “Tork Bomb” – in the second inning, immediately following a walk from Riley Greene.
It was Torkelson’s first homer since May 3.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft hit .104 (5-for-48) with five walks and 25 strikeouts during the home-run drought, spanning 55 plate appearances across parts of 14 games.
To snap the drought, Torkelson pulled Messick’s middle-in 92.3 mph fastball over the fence in left-center field for a much-needed homer – and a 2-1 lead for the Tigers.
The Guardians responded to the Tork Bomb with a two-run home run from Bazzana in the fourth inning. Before the homer, Manzardo reached safely with a leadoff walk.
After that, Bazzana – the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft – pulled a Montero’s down-and-in 86.2 mph changeup for a two-run home run, making it 3-2 Guardians.
Bazzana has two homers in his 19-game MLB career.
The Tigers clawed back again in the fourth inning.
This time, the Guardians gave away a run with a throwing error by catcher Austin Hedges.
There were two outs and runners on first and second with a struggling Zack Short at the plate when Hedges tried to backpick Lee at first.
Lee should’ve been out easily, which would’ve ended the fourth inning, but Hedges sailed the ball past the first baseman into right field – and an aggressive send from third-base coach Joey Cora scored Greene from second to tie the game, 3-3.
For the Tigers, Montero allowed three runs on two hits and four walks with one strikeout across five innings, throwing 85 pitches. For the Guardians, Messick gave up three runs (two earned runs) on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts, throwing 81 pitches.
Both starters struggled to throw strikes.
It was a bigger problem for Messick, who threw strikes at a 55.6% clip against the Tigers after throwing 64.4% strikes in his previous nine starts.
Messick has a 2.45 ERA in 10 starts, while Montero owns a 3.83 ERA in nine starts.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers whiff on big chance in another loss to rival Guardians
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
