This game was the opposite of fun.
For game two of the Tigers/White Sox matchup, the Tigers went for a classic bullpen game, while the White Sox turned to rookie Shane Smith. The Tigers became the first team to 40 wins in their massive win against the Sox on Monday, and they were looking to keep the momentum going. The White Sox, meanwhile, are just really happy the Rockies are taking all the “historic losses” heat this season.
In the top of the first, Parker Meadows took a leadoff walk. He was quickly eliminated thanks to a double play off the bat of Gleyber Torres, and Kerry Carpenter lined out to end the inning. In the home half, the Tigers used Beau Brieske as their opener. He gave up a two-out walk to Miguel Vargas, but no White Sox runs scored.
Riley Greene hit a single to start the second, but three outs followed. With one out in the home half, Brieske made his exit and was replaced by Brant Hurter, who got the final two outs of the inning.
Heading into the third and Javier Baez got a one-out single, giving the Tigers a baserunner in every inning so far. After another out, Torres took a walk, but a Carpenter strikeout ended things. The White Sox got a man on with a two-out walk by Mike Tauchman, but he was also left stranded.
In the top of the fourth, Riley Greene got another single, but much like his first effort, three outs followed to leave him stranded. Miguel Vargas got a leadoff single to start the home half. After one out, Hurter’s day was done, making way for Brenan Hanifee. Austin Slater hit a comebacker right to Hanifee and it should have started a double play, but instead Hanifee forgot how to throw a ball straight and overthrew second base, allowing both baserunners to stay safe, and getting an E1 in the meantime. With two outs, Edgar Quero walked to load the bases. Michael A. Taylor was then walked to score a run. Hanifee seems to be having one heck of a time finding the strike zone. He got out of the inning with no additional damage done, but the White Sox were on the board first.
In the fifth, the Tigers went 1-2-3. Thankfully, Hanifee had settled, and got the White Sox out in order in the bottom of the inning.
With one out in the sixth, Shane Smith’s day was done and he was replaced by Cam Booser. Riley Greene was again a baserunner in the sixth, as he took a patient two-out walk, hoping Spencer Torkelson could make something happen. Torkelson, alas, struck out. In the home half of the sixth, Tyler Holton was the next Tigers pitcher out of the pen. Austin Slater got a one-out single. Then with two outs, what should have been the final out of the inning was a pitch deflected off of Holton’s glove, allowing two runners to stay aboard, and the White Sox made them pay for it as Taylor came on to hit a three-run homer. If you’re keeping track, all of the Tigers’ problems in the game are due to pitchers fielding poorly.
But you can never really count the Tigers out. Jordan Leasure (WHAT A NAME!) was in for the White Sox and gave up a leadoff single to Wenceel Perez. Dillong Dingler then doubled, bringing Perez home and putting the Tigers on the board. It would be the only run of the inning for Detroit, but at least a shutout was off the table.
Dylan Smith came on in relief in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Chase Meidroth walked. Meidroth was then caught stealing to eliminate the baserunner and get the second out of the inning.
Miguel Vargas and Andrew Benintendi got back-to-back singles, and then an Austin Slater double scored two runs.
Gleyber Torres got a leadoff walk in the eighth. Brandon Eisert then replaced Jordan Leasure, and gave up a single to a pinch-hitting Zach McKinstry. Then, with one out, Spencer Torkelson singled to load the bases. It was the best chance for the Tigers to stage a comeback, but Perez struck out, and Dingler flied out to end the inning without a single run scored. In the home half, Chase Lee was the next Tigers’ reliever. Taylor got a one-out walk, then stole second. Vinny Capra singled, then Mike Tauchman singled to score Taylor. Meidroth then singled to score Capra. Miguel Vargas grounded into a double play to blessedly end the inning.
The top of the ninth, and the Tigers’ last chance to make something happen. They’d have to do it against Dan Altavilla. Side note, but it’s got to be a sign of shifting generations that we have like 48 Zac/Zack/Zachs in the majors, but when was the last time you heard of a “Dan”? Anyway, Dan got the Tigers out in order to end the game.
Final: White Sox 8, Tigers 1