Foto

Detroit Tigers' miscues, not enough offense lead to loss

It was a similar story, with a different ending. Matthew Boyd pitched well. The Tigers’ offense didn’t help him out. A couple of close plays went against the Tigers. It looked like a loss. But, down a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Christin Stewart doubled and Jeimer Candelario singled to tie it. Still, it went down as a loss. Despite Boyd’s seven strong innings and the Tigers’ ninth inning comeback, Shane Greene allowed a two-run home run to Starling Marte in the 10th inning and the Pirates beat the Tigers, 5-3. Well before the game was decided in extra innings, these two decisions loomed large: In the top of the second, with runners on first and third base, Pittsburgh’s Pablo Reyes hit a chopper to first base. Miguel Cabrera fielded it wide of the bag, and with two outs, needed an easy shuffle to Boyd to end the inning. But Cabrera — perhaps unaware there were two outs — instead turned toward second base, where nobody was covering. Reyes was safe and the game’s first run scored from third base. An inning later, the Tigers had an opportunity to tie the game when Gordon Beckham led off with a double and tried for home on a sharp Grayson Greiner single to left field. But with no outs on the play, Beckham was thrown out on a close play at home plate and the Tigers’ rally was thwarted. Boyd was solid again, getting plenty of swings-and-misses, but was ambushed on a first-pitch fastball by Jung Ho Kang to lead off the fourth inning. Kang’s home run was a two-run shot. The Tigers responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, but they were shut out for the final five innings. Near the end of another lackluster offensive performance, the Tigers looked done. But without lefty closer Felipe Vazquez available, Pittsburgh turned to righty Keona Kela, who allowed a lead-off double to Stewart. The ball one-hopped the right field corner. One batter later, Candelario singled to right-center field. But the Tigers couldn’t push the winning run across as Beckham struck out, Greiner popped out and JaCoby Jones grounded out. The lefty started out by striking the side in the first inning. He continues to have full command over the games he’s pitching in, and once again showed good strikeout ability. With seven strikeouts, he once again sits atop baseball in strikeouts, tied for the lead with 36 on the season. Boyd’s big blunder came in the fourth, allowing a two-run home run to Kang, who jumped all over a first-pitch fastball and sent it into the Pirates bullpen in left-center field. Perhaps it was the Tigers’ offensive limitations. Maybe third base coach Dave Clark had a scouting report on Pirates’ Reyes. Whatever it was, Clark waved Beckham around third base with no outs in the third inning. On the play, a single to left field, Beckham was thrown out by mere inches at home plate. With no outs, Clark’s send wasn’t a wise call. It should be noted, however, that Beckham’s head-first slide made it very close to being the right call. Contact Anthony Fenech at afenech@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech . Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter .