It took seven innings, but the Tigers ended up with a blowout and a shutout against the Giants with an 8-0 win on Saturday.
After dropping the first game in their series against the Giants, the Tigers were looking to pull even on Saturday evening. They would have the newly activated Jackson Jobe on the mound. Jobe hasn’t pitched in about 14 months, so the Tigers would likely have a short leash on him depending on how well he was doing, but it’s nice to see him back and healthy. The Giants were leaning
on Landen Roupp to get the job done on their end.
The Tigers quickly went 1-2-3 to open the first. In the home half we got the best-case scenario for Jobe, as he also got a 1-2-3 inning.
In the second, Colt Keith got a one-out walk. Spencer Torkelson then singled. This was followed by a Max Clark single to load the bases with only one out. Unfortunately, despite the incredible opportunity to take an early lead, the next two batters were out in order leaving all three batters stranded. In the home half, Jobe had another three-up, three-down inning, but he owed a big thanks to Max Clark for the third out, with a stellar catch that sent Clark right into the outfield wall.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. In the bottom of the inning, Drew Cavanaugh got a one-out walk, making him the first Giants’ baserunner of the game. Jobe got the next two outs to get out of the jam.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Colt Keith walked. Two outs followed, though, and the Tigers once again left a baserunner stranded. In the home half, Willy Adames got a one-out single. Rafael Devers then hit into a double play to end the inning.
The fifth was another three-up, three-down inning for the Tigers. But Jobe returned the favor in the home half, getting the side out in order. That appeared to be the handshake inning for Jobe as he got back to the dugout, so his final line was 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K on 71 pitches. We knew he would likely only be in a short time, but sorry to see they didn’t give him another inning. He was doing really well. But better safe than sorry.
In the sixth Gleyber Torres and Dillon Dingler got back-to-back walks. Then with one out, Keith walked as well and that was all she wrote for Roupp, who was replaced by Keaton Winn. Spencer Torkelson then walked, driving in the first run of the game. Once again, though, the Tigers left the bases loaded to end the inning. At least this time they did get one run in. Tyler Holton was the new Tigers’ pitcher in the bottom of the inning, and he got the side out in order.
Trent Harris came in from the Giants’ bullpen to make his MLB debut in the seventh. He gave up a ground-rule double because the ball got stuck in the outfield fence, but McKinstry definitely thought it was an inside-the-park home run. Kevin McGonigle hit an RBI single, that got him to second because the outfielder threw home and McKinstry made his way around home for the second time in the inning.
A Torres groundout pushed McGonigle to third. Dingler then laced an RBI double right down the left field foul line.
And that was it for Harris. Not the dream debut he probably imagined, sadly. Reiver Sanmartin entered the game and gave up a single to Riley Greene, pushing Dingler to third. A pinch-hitting Eduardo Valencia doubled, bringing in two more runs.
The Tigers weren’t done yet, though, as Max Clark got a two-out triple to score Valencia. Baez then singled to score Clark. They really needed to thank some of the most sloppy fielding I’ve witnessed all season, but who cares how you score the runs at the end of the day. The Giants went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Carson Seymour was the new pitcher in the eighth and he got the Tigers out in order. Ty Madden came in for the Tigers in the home half. With two outs, Eddys Leonard singled. The Giants left him stranded, though, with a final out to end the inning.
Riley Greene took a leadoff walk in the ninth and Ben Malgeri came in to run for him. A wild pitch advanced Malgeri to second, then Torkelson walked. Another wild pitch bumped Malgeri over to third. Max Clark then hit into a force out that should have been a double play, but the ball overthrew first and Clark was safe. Malgeri scored. Baez then singled. McKinstry walked and the bases were loaded. No additional runs scored, but the Tigers should have secured their lead. In the home half, the Giants were out in order to end the game and tie the series up at one game apiece.
