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Tigers blow 5-run lead, lose on walk-off homer in opener of doubleheader
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- Tigers blow 5-run lead, lose on walk-off homer in opener of doubleheader
Brayan Rocchio hit a game-tying grand slam in the fourth inning, then followed it with a walk-off solo homer in the ninth as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 on Friday at Progressive Field.
The Tigers (64-76) and Guardians (71-70) will play again in just over an hour in the second game of the doubleheader.
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It will be tough to top the opener.
The Tigers jumped out to a 6-1 lead through three innings, knocking Cleveland starter Logan Allen out in the third.
But the Guardians scored five runs against Tigers starter Keider Montero in the fourth, capped by Rocchio's grand slam, and Detroit's offense went quiet the rest of the way.
The Tigers had eight hits in the first three innings but only three over the final six.
Rocchio ended it quickly in the bottom of the ninth, leading off against left-hander Drew Sommers and driving the first pitch over the high wall in left-center.
The start of the game was delayed just over an hour by rain, complicating what was supposed to be a split doubleheader.
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Gleyber Torres singled and Kevin McGonigle and Riley Greene walked to load the bases with two outs in the first. Ben Malgeri delivered a two-run single to center, and Max Clark followed with another two-run single to make it 4-0.
The Tigers added another run in the second when Torres and McGonigle opened with singles and Torres scored as Hao-Yu Lee grounded into a double play.
Spencer Torkelson made it 6-1 with his 22nd home run of the season in the third.
Allen wasn't fully stretched out, but Cleveland still would have preferred more length from him in the first game of a doubleheader. The Tigers forced him to throw 62 pitches while recording only seven outs.
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The same problem soon confronted Detroit.
Montero cruised through the third inning before things unraveled in a 38-pitch fourth.
Nathaniel Lowe singled and Angel Genao doubled before Travis Bazzana drove in a run with a single. Patrick Bailey walked to load the bases, and Rocchio erased the rest of Detroit's lead with a grand slam to right field.
Montero recovered to finish the inning, but his day was done after four. He allowed six runs on eight hits, striking out four and walking one in 82 pitches.
Tyler Holton, Tyler Kinley and Sommers kept Cleveland scoreless over the next four innings.
The Tigers had a chance to regain the lead in the ninth against Cade Smith. Pinch-hitter Colt Keith singled with one out and moved to second on a passed ball, but Torres and McGonigle struck out to end the inning.
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Rocchio then ended it moments later.
Up next:The Tigers and Guardians don't have much time to spare before the nightcap at 7:15 p.m.
Tigers left-hander Andrew Sears (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will face Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin (15-4, 3.21 ERA).
Sears will make the first traditional start of his Major League career.
He made his debut as a bulk pitcher on Aug. 23 at Kansas City, allowing five runs in four innings, then worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen against the Dodgers on Aug. 29.
Griffin was acquired from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline. This will be his sixth start with Cleveland.
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