The Tigers did the seemingly impossible on Wednesday afternoon as they wrapped up their series against the American League’s top team with a sweep, winning 7-2.
I’d be very curious to know if someone in the Tigers’ front office has promised their firstborn child to an Etsy witch, or something, because I don’t know who the June Tigers are, but they are not the same team that dragged their feet and bats through the whole month of May. I am not complaining, because if there’s one thing I love, it’s fun
(and winning) baseball. The Tigers had already won the series heading into the Wednesday afternoon game, but they were hoping to come away with their first sweep in, like, a million years. To get there, they had Troy Melton on the mound, up against Nick Martinez for the Rays.
Gleyber Torres got things going in the first with a leadoff double. A Kevin McGonigle flyout advanced the runner to third, and then a Dillon Dingler single brought Torres home for the first run of the game.
With two outs, Riley Greene singled, but the Tigers weren’t able to convert another runner for the inning. In the home half, Junior Caminero got a one-out single, followed by a Jonathan Aranda walk. Yandy Diaz then singled, bringing in Caminero and tying the game. They’d have to settle for just the one run, but it was the first time the entire series they weren’t trailing the Tigers.
The second inning started with two outs, but Jake Rogers then hit a solo home run to left to push the Tigers back into the lead.
Cedric Mullins fought back in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff home run to re-tie the game. Nick Fortes then followed that with a single, but the Rays weren’t able to convert another baserunner.
Kevin McGonigle got the third started with a single. With one out, Kerry Carpenter singled into center, the ball deflected off the glove of Chandler Simpson. Riley Greene walked, and then a Spencer Torkelson sac fly brought McGonigle home.
In the home half, Aranda used the ABS to get himself a leadoff walk, but Yandy Diaz then grounded into a double play. That made things a fair bit easier for Melton to get out of the inning.
Matt Vierling started the fourth with a single, then advanced to second on a sac bunt from Rogers. Gleyber Torres then singled. With two outs, Dillon Dingler hit a three-run home run to push the Tigers into the lead by a wide margin.
The Rays did little to fight back in the bottom of the inning as they went 1-2-3 back to the dugout.
Martinez’s day was done as the game headed into the fifth, and he was replaced by Mason Englert. Greene got a leadoff single, but was then eliminated in a double play off the bat of Torkelson. A pop-out ended the inning. In the home half, the Rays once again went three-up, three-down.
In the sixth, Jake Rogers got a one-out single. A wild pitch from Englert allowed Rogers to advance to second. Two outs followed though, leaving the baserunner stranded. The Rays had another 1-2-3 inning.
Dingler got a free bag in the seventh after getting hit by a pitch. That’s certainly one way to keep him from hitting home runs. Carpenter grounded into a force out to eliminate Dingler. Then, with two outs, another wild pitch by Englert allowed Carpenter to advance to second, but the Tigers left another runner stranded. Bold of them to think a four-run lead is enough considering history. The Rays, however, didn’t do much to stage a comeback in the bottom of the inning, as they were set down in order.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the eighth. Melton was back out again for the home half, and despite extra effort to get through the first innings, he was looking dialled in and relaxed. He plowed through the side like he was just coming into the game. Just awesome stuff.
Torres started the top of the ninth with a single, continuing to swing a hot bat since his return. McGonigle doubled right behind him, pushing Torres to third. Dingler lined out directly to Caminero on third but Torres was lightning fast getting back, making sure he avoided the double play. A sac fly from Carpenter brought Torres home. Melton was done after eight, with a final line of 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR on 94 pitches. Drew Anderson came out of the pen to replace him. Anderson got the side out in order, and the Tigers walked away with a sweep.
