The Detroit Tigers almost blew a big lead handed to them by first baseman Spencer Torkelson, but held off the late-inning rally.
With two-out RBI hits from Torkelson and catcher Dillon Dingler, plus some defensive miscues from the visitors, the Tigers (75-85) beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-7, on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Comerica Park in Detroit. Torkelson's two-RBI triple in the second inning erased a 2-0 Tigers deficit, while Dingler gave the Tigers the lead with his two-out, bases-loaded single in the third.
Detroit tacked on more runs in the third thanks to a dropped-third strike leading to two extra runs, and then a two-out error from Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin in the sixth inning led to Detroit's seventh run. Torkelson, who finished a single
away from the cycle – and was on deck for the final out of the eighth inning – added a solo home run in the seventh inning that gave the Tigers an 8-2 lead.
Staked to a six-run lead, lefty Andrew Sears gave up five runs in the eighth inning to make the score 8-7, but closer Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the win and record his 498th career save.
On the day of Justin Verlander's pregame celebration, Tigers righty Jackson Jobe put in a Verlander-esque performance, allowing two runs over 5⅓ innings while striking out eight batters, marking his third game in a row striking out at least eight batters. Four of those strikeouts from the Pirates (81-79) came looking as Jobe showed some of his best stuff of the season.
But even with Verlander and Jobe getting the shine, it was Torkelson's unusual night at the plate and a near-bullpen meltdown that stole the show.
At the plate: Spencer Torkelson's strange night
With runners on first and third and two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Torkelson stroked a line drive that right fielder Jake Mangum attempted to catch on a dive, but missed, allowing the ball to roll towards the wall. Designated hitter Eduardo Valencia (who reached base five times on the night with two hits and three walks) scored from third base, right fielder Brett Callahan scored from first and Torkelson ended up with his first triple of the season. More importantly, it tied the game at 2-2.
¡Empatamos, gracias a Spencer Torkelson! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/x5tZYhOwUn
— Tigres de Detroit (@TigresdeDetroit) September 25, 2026
The Tigers broke it open with some more two-out production in the third inning. A two-out, bases-loaded single from Dingler scored third baseman Kevin McGonigle and Valencia, while a walk from Callahan reloaded the bases for Torkelson.
On a 3-2 pitch with all three Tigers baserunners running, Torkelson swung through a changeup for strike three. But the pitch got by catcher Rafael Flores Jr. and rolled towards the visiting on-deck circle, allowing both Greene and Dingler to score once Torkelson safely reached first base. It was a rare two-run dropped third strike – the first in MLB since 2013 – and it gave the Tigers a 6-2 lead.
¡GUAU! 👀 pic.twitter.com/3RCvSBKkkk
— Tigres de Detroit (@TigresdeDetroit) September 26, 2026
Torkelson reached base once again in the fifth inning on a one-out double to shallow center field that probably should have been called a two-base error, as Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz dropped the ball on his approach. But the call gave the righty his fifth base of the night.
And he would get four more in the seventh inning off a solo home run, his 26th of the season, though he didn't get a chance for the cycle-finishing single after the Tigers left him stranded in the on-deck circle in the bottom of the eighth.
On the mound: Bullpen nearly blows Jackson Jobe's win
The Pirates struck first thanks to a one-out, RBI single from designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn in the top of the second inning, giving Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The single scored Cruz, who led off the inning with a walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position.
Two batters later, Jobe allowed a two-out double to first baseman Spencer Horwitz that flew over an outstretched Callahan in right-center field and scored O’Hearn from first base.
Jobe settled down after the second, striking out two in the third, one in the fourth and another two in the fifth. The righty had eight strikeouts after five innings, four of them looking, as he used his slider to set up whiffs on his fastball.
Jobe got to face one batter in the sixth inning, inducing a groundout from left fielder Bryan Reynolds, before being pulled after his 86th pitch. It was his fifth straight start of at least five innings and his fourth straight giving up three runs or fewer.
Lefties Drew Sommers and Sears then combined for the next seven outs, though Sears allowed five two-out runs in an eighth-inning meltdown that concluded his night after a three-run home run from Flores. But given a save opportunity, Jansen took advantage, and is now two saves away from the prestigious 500-save mark.
Next up: JV's last start
Speaking of prestigious, Verlander makes his final MLB start on Saturday (1:10 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) in Detroit's second-to-last game of the season.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Spencer Torkelson slugs, steals JV's show as Tigers outlast Pirates
