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There wasn't much good news to start the day at Comerica Park on Friday as A.J. Hinch spoke to the press. Justin Verlander, Sunday's scheduled starter has a new injury, this time to his left hamstring.
"I've always said I want to play until the wheels fall off. I don't know, maybe they are falling off. I hope not." Justin Verlander said to the media before the start on Friday.
As the Tigers dealt with Wenceel Pérez landing on the injured list after a resistance band workout injury, Detroit called up utility player Trei Cruz. Against that backdrop, Tarik Skubal took the mound with the expectation that he could help pull the Tigers out of their recent funk, losing the series in Houston.
It did not start smoothly.
Randal Grichuk jumped Skubal in the first inning, driving a solo home run to left field to give the White Sox a quick 1-0 lead. Skubal worked around it by striking out the side, getting Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth and Colson Montgomery, but the tone was not exactly calming after the injury updates earlier in the afternoon.
The Tigers answered right away. Dillon Dingler singled in the bottom of the first and Matt Vierling followed with a two-run home run to center field, his fifth of the season, to put Detroit ahead 2-1. For a team that has been searching for more consistent offense, the immediate response was important, especially after falling behind early against a White Sox club that has played Detroit tough at times.
Skubal settled in for stretches, and Detroit’s defense helped him along the way. Hao-Yu Lee made an over-the-shoulder catch in the second inning, Colt Keith made a strong throw across the diamond to end that frame, and Vierling later added a leaping catch in center field. The Tigers needed all of it because Chicago kept putting pressure on Skubal.
The White Sox tied the game in the fifth after Sam Antonacci singled and Luisangel Acuña followed with another single. Tristan Peters then hit into a force play that brought Antonacci home after Chicago challenged the call at first and had it overturned. With runners still on and the game tied, Skubal had to work through the middle of the order. Keith cut down Peters at the plate on a force out, and Skubal finished the inning by striking out Montgomery. The two exchanged words after the pitch, adding some edge to a game Detroit badly needed to win.
Chicago grabbed the lead again in the sixth when Junior Perez, who had already collected his first career hit earlier in the game, hit his first career home run to left-center field. That made it 3-2 White Sox and ended Skubal’s night one out later. His final line was not dominant by his standards, but he still gave Detroit 5 2/3 innings, struck out eight and kept the Tigers within reach. Detroit’s offense picked him up in the bottom of the sixth.
Dingler started the inning with another single, Riley Greene walked and Spencer Torkelson popped out on the infield fly rule. That brought up Kerry Carpenter, who gave the Tigers the swing they needed. Carpenter doubled to left field, scoring Dingler and Greene, and Detroit moved back in front 4-3.
It was the cleanest and biggest offensive moment of the night for the Tigers. Vierling provided the early jolt, but Carpenter’s two-run double changed the game late enough to put the bullpen in position to finish it. Drew Anderson, Will Vest and Kenley Jansen did the rest.
Anderson came in for Skubal and struck out Acuña to end the sixth. He returned for the seventh and worked around a ground-rule double by Grichuk, striking out Meidroth to strand the tying run. Vest handled the eighth, getting a key double play from Edgar Quero after a leadoff walk to Montgomery. Jansen then closed it in the ninth, retiring Antonacci, Andrew Benintendi and Peters in order. Peters struck out on a foul tip to end the game.
Dingler finished with three hits and scored twice, continuing to provide production from behind the plate. Vierling homered, drove in two and made a strong defensive play in center and for the first time since May 26, Jahmai Jones singled after he pinched hit for Colt Keith in the 7th.
It was not a clean game. Skubal was hit harder than expected at times, the Tigers ran into a few empty innings and the Verlander injury adds another issue to a pitching staff already being tested. But after a rough pregame news cycle and a series loss in Houston, Detroit still found a way to win.
Follow me on "X" @rogcastbaseball
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"I've always said I want to play until the wheels fall off. I don't know, maybe they are falling off. I hope not." Justin Verlander said to the media before the start on Friday.
As the Tigers dealt with Wenceel Pérez landing on the injured list after a resistance band workout injury, Detroit called up utility player Trei Cruz. Against that backdrop, Tarik Skubal took the mound with the expectation that he could help pull the Tigers out of their recent funk, losing the series in Houston.
It did not start smoothly.
Randal Grichuk jumped Skubal in the first inning, driving a solo home run to left field to give the White Sox a quick 1-0 lead. Skubal worked around it by striking out the side, getting Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth and Colson Montgomery, but the tone was not exactly calming after the injury updates earlier in the afternoon.
The Tigers answered right away. Dillon Dingler singled in the bottom of the first and Matt Vierling followed with a two-run home run to center field, his fifth of the season, to put Detroit ahead 2-1. For a team that has been searching for more consistent offense, the immediate response was important, especially after falling behind early against a White Sox club that has played Detroit tough at times.
Skubal settled in for stretches, and Detroit’s defense helped him along the way. Hao-Yu Lee made an over-the-shoulder catch in the second inning, Colt Keith made a strong throw across the diamond to end that frame, and Vierling later added a leaping catch in center field. The Tigers needed all of it because Chicago kept putting pressure on Skubal.
The White Sox tied the game in the fifth after Sam Antonacci singled and Luisangel Acuña followed with another single. Tristan Peters then hit into a force play that brought Antonacci home after Chicago challenged the call at first and had it overturned. With runners still on and the game tied, Skubal had to work through the middle of the order. Keith cut down Peters at the plate on a force out, and Skubal finished the inning by striking out Montgomery. The two exchanged words after the pitch, adding some edge to a game Detroit badly needed to win.
Chicago grabbed the lead again in the sixth when Junior Perez, who had already collected his first career hit earlier in the game, hit his first career home run to left-center field. That made it 3-2 White Sox and ended Skubal’s night one out later. His final line was not dominant by his standards, but he still gave Detroit 5 2/3 innings, struck out eight and kept the Tigers within reach. Detroit’s offense picked him up in the bottom of the sixth.
Dingler started the inning with another single, Riley Greene walked and Spencer Torkelson popped out on the infield fly rule. That brought up Kerry Carpenter, who gave the Tigers the swing they needed. Carpenter doubled to left field, scoring Dingler and Greene, and Detroit moved back in front 4-3.
It was the cleanest and biggest offensive moment of the night for the Tigers. Vierling provided the early jolt, but Carpenter’s two-run double changed the game late enough to put the bullpen in position to finish it. Drew Anderson, Will Vest and Kenley Jansen did the rest.
Anderson came in for Skubal and struck out Acuña to end the sixth. He returned for the seventh and worked around a ground-rule double by Grichuk, striking out Meidroth to strand the tying run. Vest handled the eighth, getting a key double play from Edgar Quero after a leadoff walk to Montgomery. Jansen then closed it in the ninth, retiring Antonacci, Andrew Benintendi and Peters in order. Peters struck out on a foul tip to end the game.
Dingler finished with three hits and scored twice, continuing to provide production from behind the plate. Vierling homered, drove in two and made a strong defensive play in center and for the first time since May 26, Jahmai Jones singled after he pinched hit for Colt Keith in the 7th.
It was not a clean game. Skubal was hit harder than expected at times, the Tigers ran into a few empty innings and the Verlander injury adds another issue to a pitching staff already being tested. But after a rough pregame news cycle and a series loss in Houston, Detroit still found a way to win.
Follow me on "X" @rogcastbaseball
Continue reading...
