CLEVELAND – The Detroit Tigers completed what was an absolutely strange four-game series against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Tigers were just a couple of outs away from earning a four-game sweep. Instead, they ended up winning just once while losing three heartbreakers, capped by a 4-3 loss in 10 innings at Progressive Field on Sunday, Sept. 6.
Yes, the Tigers lost three walk-offs in three days. Unbelievable.
Then again, that’s been the story of this season for the Tigers: losing close games, over and over again. Not to mention losing close games on the road against the American League Central (0-12). Not to mention losing after holding an early lead. The Tigers are now
19-46 in games decided by two runs or less, the worst record in baseball. The 46 losses are the most in baseball while the 19 wins are tied for the fewest in baseball.
In the most recent loss, Cleveland won it when Daniel Schneemann singled off right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan with runners on first and third.
And yes, the Tigers had a 2-0 lead in this game. So, the Tigers have lost 42 games in which they led at some point, tied for the second-most in baseball behind only the Washington Nationals (43).
Can you say: Bullpen issues?
All of that is to say as strange as it was, it was also symbolic of the entire, frustrating year.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 65-78, 7½ games behind the Guardians (73-71) in the chase for the third and final AL wild-card berth, with 19 games to play.
On the mound: Jackson Jobe's up-and-down day
Jackson Jobe had a strange start for the Tigers.
The young right-hander got into some serious trouble in the first inning. He was in a funk, unable to throw strikes, throwing 26 pitches and just 11 were strikes. And the Guardians scored when Travis Bazzana hit a double, knocking in Steven Kwan.
Then, suddenly, Jobe couldn’t find the strike zone. He loaded the bases on back-to-back four-pitch walks. That prompted a mound visit by Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter.
It didn’t help immediately. He threw two more balls to Angel Genao – at that point, he had thrown 10 straight balls.
But then it seemed like a switch flipped for him; Jobe struck out Genao and got Patrick Bailey to ground out to end the inning.
After that? He was a different pitcher, cruising through the next three innings with ease, recording three straight perfect innings.
But then, it all disappeared again. Brayan Rocchio crushed his third homer of the series to tie it up at 2-2. After a Kwan double, Fetter had another mound visit.
But Jobe got out of it, striking out Jo Adell.
The Tigers then turned to Tyler Holton who pitched a scoreless seventh, followed by lefty Drew Sommers for a scoreless eighth and righty Kenley Jansen for a scoreless ninth.
At the plate: Facing a K machine
The Tigers faced Gavin Williams, a strikeout machine, who came into the game averaging 11.98 strikeouts per nine innings, third-best in the majors.
Even though Williams was working on four days rest, he came out pumping 100 mph sinkers and struck out Kevin McGonigle to start the game.
But then the Tigers created a tremendous scoring opportunity. Hao-Yu Lee walked and Colt Keith hit a bloop to center. Then, Riley Greene continued his hot streak. He doubled to right, knocking in two runs, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Greene has been on quite a roll. He hit two home runs as part of a four-hit, four-RBI game on Saturday.
And he had a pair of doubles against Williams.
But after that? It was a whole bunch of Williams. He dominated the Tigers, finishing with 11 strikeouts in six innings, giving up just four hits and walking three.
Next up: a familiar foe
There will be no rest for the Tigers, coming off this two-city trip: They open a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins on Monday (3:10 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) at Comerica Park. Right-hander Troy Melton (7-4, 2.20 ERA) is set to start for the Tigers on Monday, followed by Drew Anderson (4-5, 3.73) on Tuesday and Keider Montero (9-8, 3.52) on Wednesday.
To make it even stranger, the Tigers just saw the Twins on the start of this road trip, before visiting Cleveland.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Deja four? Tigers drop 3rd walk-off loss to Guardians in 4 games
