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ARLINGTON, TX – Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene cracked his third homer in four games, Jack Flaherty pitched a gem, Keider Montero had a three-inning save and the Tigers earned a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Saturday, July 4.
Flaherty threw 5⅔ scoreless innings. He has now allowed three earned runs or less in 13 of his 17 starts this season, including in 10 of his past 11 outings.
The Tigers (39-50) have now won four of five games on this six-game road trip that ends Sunday against the Rangers (45-44).
STAR POWER: It would be crazy if Dillon Dingler is not named to MLB All-Star Game
Interesting tidbit, part 1: The Tigers are now 17-12 since June 1.
Interesting tidbit, part 2: the Tigers are 23-21 against teams at or above .500 this season, joining only the Rays, Rangers, Yankees and Mariners among AL teams. Oddly enough, the Tigers are 16-29 against teams with a losing record.
The Tigers were expecting to face Kumar Rocker, the big Rangers righty. But they were notified on Saturday morning that Cal Quantrill would get the start in a bullpen game.
The Tigers adjusted quickly. In the first inning, Kerry Carpenter walked, and then Greene hammered a 2-2 cutter over the right-field fence, sneaking it just inside the foul pole. It was his 12th homer of the season.
A Texas outfield error gave the Tigers another scoring chance in the second. Colt Keith, who had singled, reasched third on an Alejandro Osuna error in left. Keith scored when Ben Malgeri ground out to short, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead. As the inning continued, the Tigers had a chance to do some serious damage but Carpenter lined out to center with the bases loaded.
Flaherty, who used his off day on Friday to go to the World Cup game between Australia and Egypt across the way at AT&T Stadium, got the start for the Tigers. He benefited in the first inning from a great defensive play by James Outman in center. With a runner on first base, Outman ran down a long fly ball by Josh Smith – a shot that looked like it was serious trouble – to catch it on the warning track.
Flaherty was sitting on a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, which felt like a big moment. He had given up just one hit and was about to face the heart of the Rangers order. Josh Jung had a fly out to deep right, just in front of the warning track. Flaherty struck out Brandon Nimmo, the cleanup hitter. And Osuna, the No.5 hitter, had a harmless flyout in foul territory beyond third base.
Flaherty benefited from Evan Carter being held to a single in the fifth inning; Outman dove for the ball and came up with it on the bounce. That stopped it from being a double.
The next big moment for Flaherty came in the sixth, facing the top of the Rangers’ order. He struck out Joc Pederson, Smith flew out to right; then Flaherty gave up a double to Jung.
That was the end of the day for Flaherty, who went 5⅔ innings, giving up three hits and striking out five with no walks.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had hinted that people might be surprised by how he used Keider Montero in Texas. And this is what he did: Montero entered and pitched the seventh. He was so good that he pitched the eighth. Then – why not? – he finished the game, earning a three-inning save, the first save in the regular season in his career. (Montero had a save in last year's ALDS against the Seattle Mariners.)
The Tigers are expecting to face Kumar Rocker on Sunday (3:30 p.m., NBCSN Extra/Peacock) in the third game of this series. But who knows? Maybe he gets moved again.
If he does start, Rocker will be throwing on six days of rest. He gave up five earned runs on seven hits across two innings on May 2 at Comerica Park.
The Tigers, meanwhile, will start Casey Mize (3-5, 2.63 ERA).
After playing 14 games in 14 days, the Tigers were off on Friday and they will be off on Monday. So they should be able to use anybody in relief on Sunday – other than Montero.
Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Early fireworks from Riley Greene launch Tigers to win over Rangers
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Flaherty threw 5⅔ scoreless innings. He has now allowed three earned runs or less in 13 of his 17 starts this season, including in 10 of his past 11 outings.
The Tigers (39-50) have now won four of five games on this six-game road trip that ends Sunday against the Rangers (45-44).
You must be registered for see images
STAR POWER: It would be crazy if Dillon Dingler is not named to MLB All-Star Game
Interesting tidbit, part 1: The Tigers are now 17-12 since June 1.
Interesting tidbit, part 2: the Tigers are 23-21 against teams at or above .500 this season, joining only the Rays, Rangers, Yankees and Mariners among AL teams. Oddly enough, the Tigers are 16-29 against teams with a losing record.
At the plate: Riley Greene sizzling hot
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The Tigers were expecting to face Kumar Rocker, the big Rangers righty. But they were notified on Saturday morning that Cal Quantrill would get the start in a bullpen game.
The Tigers adjusted quickly. In the first inning, Kerry Carpenter walked, and then Greene hammered a 2-2 cutter over the right-field fence, sneaking it just inside the foul pole. It was his 12th homer of the season.
A Texas outfield error gave the Tigers another scoring chance in the second. Colt Keith, who had singled, reasched third on an Alejandro Osuna error in left. Keith scored when Ben Malgeri ground out to short, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead. As the inning continued, the Tigers had a chance to do some serious damage but Carpenter lined out to center with the bases loaded.
On the mound: Jack Flaherty cruises for Tigers
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Flaherty, who used his off day on Friday to go to the World Cup game between Australia and Egypt across the way at AT&T Stadium, got the start for the Tigers. He benefited in the first inning from a great defensive play by James Outman in center. With a runner on first base, Outman ran down a long fly ball by Josh Smith – a shot that looked like it was serious trouble – to catch it on the warning track.
Flaherty was sitting on a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, which felt like a big moment. He had given up just one hit and was about to face the heart of the Rangers order. Josh Jung had a fly out to deep right, just in front of the warning track. Flaherty struck out Brandon Nimmo, the cleanup hitter. And Osuna, the No.5 hitter, had a harmless flyout in foul territory beyond third base.
Flaherty benefited from Evan Carter being held to a single in the fifth inning; Outman dove for the ball and came up with it on the bounce. That stopped it from being a double.
The next big moment for Flaherty came in the sixth, facing the top of the Rangers’ order. He struck out Joc Pederson, Smith flew out to right; then Flaherty gave up a double to Jung.
That was the end of the day for Flaherty, who went 5⅔ innings, giving up three hits and striking out five with no walks.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had hinted that people might be surprised by how he used Keider Montero in Texas. And this is what he did: Montero entered and pitched the seventh. He was so good that he pitched the eighth. Then – why not? – he finished the game, earning a three-inning save, the first save in the regular season in his career. (Montero had a save in last year's ALDS against the Seattle Mariners.)
Next up ... probably
The Tigers are expecting to face Kumar Rocker on Sunday (3:30 p.m., NBCSN Extra/Peacock) in the third game of this series. But who knows? Maybe he gets moved again.
If he does start, Rocker will be throwing on six days of rest. He gave up five earned runs on seven hits across two innings on May 2 at Comerica Park.
The Tigers, meanwhile, will start Casey Mize (3-5, 2.63 ERA).
After playing 14 games in 14 days, the Tigers were off on Friday and they will be off on Monday. So they should be able to use anybody in relief on Sunday – other than Montero.
Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Early fireworks from Riley Greene launch Tigers to win over Rangers
Continue reading...
