NEW YORK – The Detroit Tigers experienced some all-too-familiar problems against the New York Mets.
The injury-ravaged Tigers played sloppy, ugly baseball in an 10-2 blowout – their 11th loss in 16 games − on Tuesday, May 12. The Tigers gave the Mets too many walks, didn’t play clean defensively, couldn’t generate enough offense and ended up with catcher Jake Rogers on the mound again. Yes, it was that bad.
The Tigers committed two errors, but this one was the most costly: Third baseman Gage Workman, who was called up on Sunday, had a chance to get the Tigers out of trouble in the sixth inning with a double play but threw the ball into right field, leading to two runs and a hole that just kept getting bigger.
To make it worse, the Tigers didn’t get the big hit at the big moment, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The struggling Mets (16-25), it should be pointed out, came into this game having lost three of their last four and they had scored six runs or more just two other times in their last 15. But they had 13 hits and six walks.
The Tigers (19-23) will play the second game of this series on Wednesday night with Framber Valdez on the mound coming off a five-game suspension.
Flaherty gives up three runs
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch joked with Jack Flaherty before his start on Tuesday.
“I asked him if I need to be out of the dugout for him to punch out 10,” Hinch said.
The last time Flaherty pitched, Hinch was serving a one-game suspension tied to the Valdez’s five-game suspension. Flaherty had some impressive moments in that start against the Red Sox, striking out 10 in five innings, walking just one and generating 14 whiffs. “It was a step in the right direction,” Hinch said. “He challenged him in the strike zone and got swing and miss.”
That’s exactly what he didn’t do on Tuesday.
He had more walks (three) than strikeouts (two), getting into a bunch of trouble and was pulled with one out in the fourth inning. He allowed three earned runs.
So, that’s where the Tigers are with Flaherty. Some good, some bad.
“He can be tremendous,” Hinch said before the game. “We’ve seen this guy be really dominant, be really effective, challenge a strike zone, be emotional on the mound, competitively, and want the ball in every situation.”
He still wants the ball. He just hasn’t been consistent.
Mets fans give standing ovation to rookie
While Tigers fans have been exhilarated by 21-year-old rookie Kevin McGonigle, the Mets saw their own highly anticipated 21-year-old rookie debut on Tuesday night.
A.J. Ewing, the Mets’ No. 2 prospect for MLB Pipeline, was called up on Tuesday. He got his first plate appearance in the second inning with two on and one out and received a standing ovation from Mets fans. Ewing earned a walk, loading the bases and getting another tribute.
But Flaherty limited the damage, holding the Mets to one run by forcing a fielder’s choice and a harmless fly ball.
Ewing is known for his speed and showed it off in the sixth inning. He walked against Burch Smith and stole second with ease. The Mets loaded the bases with one out. Bo Bichette hit the ball to Workman, who tried to start a double play but threw the ball into right field, and the Mets scored two runs.
Then, in the seventh inning, Ewing hit an RBI triple, showing off that speed again, and getting another standing ovation. He became the first player in Mets history to have his first hit be a triple.
Then he scored his second run, giving the Mets an 8-2 lead. He finished with three walks, two RBIs, a hit and scored a run.
McGonigle flashes some leather
Speaking of McGonigle, he made a tremendous play against the Mets.
Flaherty got into trouble again in the third inning when the Mets put two on with no outs.
But they scored only one run because of McGonigle. He went deep in the hole to scoop up a grounder and had a long throw to get Marcus Semien at first base to end the rally.
Tigers get blocked from scoring – by ump
The Tigers learned an important lesson against the Mets: It’s impossible to get into the end zone when the umpire is playing tackle football.
Wait, is this baseball or football? Well, it was hard to tell on this play.
In the fifth inning, Colt Keith tried to score from third on an overthrow. But he got blocked by third base umpire Rob Drake, who was in fair territory.
Drake tumbled to the grass, Keith slowed down and was thrown out at the plate to end the inning, as the Mets held a 3-2 lead. To get in one last blow – who said baseball is a non-contact sport? – Keith seemed to get jacked in the face by catcher Francisco Alvarez.
Dingler hits another homer
Dillon Dingler was in an 0-2 hole against Freddy Peralta in the second inning.
But he didn’t back down. Didn’t act intimidated. He jacked a curveball over the left field wall, his seventh homer of the season.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers play sloppy and get crushed by New York Mets
Reporting by Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
