Tigers 6, Padres 4: Rough day for the Padres

Tigers take a large early lead and a tired bullpen holds it for a team win

The second series of the Tigers’ long homestand saw the locals taking on the visiting San Diego Padres , the surprising owners of baseball’s best record coming into the game. Detroit was 8-2 at Comerica while the Padres were below .500 on the road, at 4-5 away from Petco Park. The Tigers hot hitting ways continued as they churned out 11 hits to start their seventh straight series with a victory this season.

Taking the mound for the Tigers was Keider Montero making his second start of the season. His previous outing, against the Brewers , was a mixed bag, as he struck out 8 but got battered for five runs, four of them coming on home runs. This would not be a dissimilar sort of outing with pretty mixed results.

Facing Fernando Tatis, Jr, who is having a monster season, Keider’s first pitch was lined to right field for a single. A flyout was easily handled by the center fielder, *checks notes*…..Javy Baez. Yep, Baez was in center for this game with newly called up Jace Jung manning the hot corner and Ryan Kreidler back on his way to Toledo. After that catch, a throw to first didn’t get caught by Spencer Torkelson but instead ricocheted off of Tatis’s leg; luckily it died there and didn’t get away from the base. Montero got Manny Machado to 3-2, but ball four while Tatis tried stealing second was a missed opportunity. A fly ball from Xander Bogaerts to center dropped right in front of Baez, who oddly just…stopped running and let it drop; maybe using a career infielder in the outfield isn’t a wise move. Bases loaded. A grounder from Tirso Ornelas led to an attempted double play but the runner beat it out, scoring a run. Another grounder ended the inning with minimal damage, thankfully.

Righty Randy Vásquez took the mound for the Padres. Gleyber Torres welcomed him with a single, mirroring the top of the inning. Zach McKinstry, having himself a heck of an early season, smacked a ball down the right field line. The ball was rolling towards Tatis but hit a small jutting wall section, bouncing away from him; this allowed the speedy former CMU standout to get his major league leading third triple, scoring Torres.

Riley Greene flew out but not deep enough to score the run. Torkelson worked a full count but struck out swinging. However, a slumping Colt Keith up to the plate and slammed a 106 mph grounder towards old friend Jose Iglesias, who had the ball hop right over his entire body, scoring McKinstry and extending the inning for the newly recalled Jung. He flew out, but the Tigers had forced Vásquez to throw 29 pitches in the inning.

Montero came back out with a lead and hit Iglesias. He then walked Tyler Wade and had to deal with a bunting Maldonado. Luckily, he struck out while bunting. Unfortunately, the first pitch to Tatis Jr. crossed up Nido, causing a “passed ball” that advanced both runners; I definitely think Montero and Nido were not on the same page there. A grounder to Jung scored a run, tying the game. Montero got out of it with a harmless fly to center, but two Tigers miscues had led to both runs so far.

Vásquez mirrored Montero again by hitting Baez to start. Sweeney grounded out, advancing Javy. Tomas Nido, the hero of a previous start, smacked another single, scoring him. After a lineup, McKinstry worked a long at-bat, ending up with his 14th walk of his season. Greene sliced his own single and Nido ran all the way home. With two on the Tigers couldn’t tack on, but it was 4-2 and 57 pitchers for the opposition after two innings.

Montero finally settled down in the third, retiring all three batters without much drama. Poor control early in his starts continues to be a problem.

Detroit had their walking shoes on. The first two batters, Keith and Jung, took walks. Logan Gillaspie came in for the Padres. Baez flew out, advancing Keith, but a grounder to third was thrown home and Colt was out by a few. However, Gillaspie hit Nido, the third plunked batter of the game and it was only the third inning. With the bases loaded, Torres knocked one up the middle, scoring two more. McKinstry struck out looking but the damage was done. Three innings for the Tigers, two runs scored in each of them.

Montero was still a bit wild in the top of the fourth. Two weak grounders led to an infield single and a groundout. A slew of pitches not particularly close walked Tyler Wade. With the pressure on, Montero induced a grounder to Jung that was turned for a slick 6-4-3 double play, escaping the jam.

Tigers looked like they weren’t going to take their foot off the gas. Greene worked a walk and was followed by a smoked single by Tork. Keith struck out but Jung walked to load the bases. Sadly, the squander squid reared its ugly head as Baez and Sweeney failed to do anything, stranding the runners.

With one out in the fifth, Gavin Sheets hit a fly ball the opposite way that just ended up getting over the left field fence. The wind was blowing out to left by that point, likely pushing it beyond his reach, though later on we saw a few deep drives knocked down in center field and right field. A Machado single and Bogaerts walk chased Montero, bringing in Brant Hurter. He induced a grounder on a pinch-hitting Connor Joe, then gave up a run scoring single to Oscar González. The relay throw got away from Sweeney, causing both runners to break for the next bases. However, Jung snagged the ball and threw a seed back to second base bag, easily getting Gonzalez trying to take second. 6-4 Tigers and short outings for both starters.

A grounder was followed by a Torres single. McKinstry followed up with a a hit of his own, but Torres wasn’t fleet enough to go first to third and was easily thrown out trying to advance; Zach got to second. Wandy Peralta came in and got the final out without much fuss.

Hurter stayed in and got a 1-2-3 inning, much needed.

Tork hit a 107 mph bomb to center field that the wind knocked down, resulting in a flyout. In the summer, with better wind conditions…that ball is gone. Justyn-Henry Malloy pinch-hit for Keith, working a walk, but was erased on a Jung double play.

One BYB staffer mocked up this image of Comerica’s wind patterns:

Brenan Hanifee came in to pitch his third time in four days. He gave up a one-out single but otherwise had no trouble with the Padres.

Yuki Matsui came in and matched Hanifee, only allowing a single in the 7th.

Hanifee was back out for the 8th and got two grounders and a strikeout. Great relief outing for the guy.

Bottom 8, Torres lined out to first on a nifty play by Sheets. McKinstry, not content with his single and triple, got himself a double that almost carried out to left field. A Greene grounder moved him to third before the Padres intentionally walked Tork. Malloy battled but was victimized by one really poor strike call and ultimately grounded out to third, ending the rally. We hoped that poor strike call wouldn’t haunt them.

Will (safety) Vest came in to get the save. Wade grounded out. A pinch-hitting Yuli Gurriel popped out on a hazardous play, as the wind played with it a bit. Tatis Jr. was up and Vest was not afraid, emphatically striking him out to end the game. Tigers 6, Padres 4. Detroit has won 7 straight series opening games and showed a lot of grit in this one.

Game two of the three game series is tomorrow evening with Jack Flaherty taking on Nick Pivetta.

Final: Tigers 6, Padres 4