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Tigers suffer two walk-off losses in one miserable day in Cleveland
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- Tigers suffer two walk-off losses in one miserable day in Cleveland
Two lost leads. Two walk-off losses. One miserable Friday for the Detroit Tigers.
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday night at Progressive Field, completing a doubleheader sweep after winning the opener 7-6 on a walk-off homer .
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The Tigers (64-77) are 5-17 since Aug. 12. The Guardians (72-70) have a full-game lead in the AL Wild Card race and trail the first-place Chicago White Sox by only 2 1/2 games.
The Tigers built a 3-0 lead behind an outstanding start from rookie Andrew Sears, but Travis Bazzana hit a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth and then delivered the walk-off single in the 10th.
Detroit scored twice in the third when four straight batters reached against Guardians starter Foster Griffin.
Zach McKinstry singled, Gleyber Torres walked and Hao-Yu Lee singled home the first run. Kevin McGonigle followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0.
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But Griffin escaped further damage with three straight infield grounders, including two that resulted in lead runners being thrown out.
Lee was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Spencer Torkelson's grounder to third and was struck in the left shin in the collision with catcher Austin Hedges.
Lee was diagnosed with a contusion, according to the Tigers, and did not return.
Dillon Dingler replaced him as the designated hitter in the fifth, interrupting what was supposed to be an evening off. Dingler doubled, his first extra-base hit since Aug. 16, sending Torres to third. Eduardo Valencia followed with an RBI single through the drawn-in infield to make it 3-0.
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There was another scary moment in the fourth.
Three Guardians converged on McKinstry's popup in shallow left. Shortstop Brayan Rocchio called for the ball and caught it, but left fielder Angel Martínez slipped as he tried to slam on the brakes and collided with Rocchio.
Both players hit the deck and remained on the ground for a few moments. Both initially stayed in the game, although Martínez was removed an inning later. The Guardians said he left as a precaution with a left shoulder bruise.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was ejected in the fifth by home-plate umpire Manny Gonzalez after arguing a pitch-clock violation called on Hedges.
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Meanwhile, Sears was putting together the best outing of his young Major League career.
Pitching in his third big-league game but making his first traditional start, Sears was one out away from six shutout innings.
With his pitch count climbing, it was clear that left-handed hitting Nathaniel Lowe would be his final batter. Lowe fought Sears to a full count and then doubled into the gap in right-center, scoring José Ramírez and putting Cleveland on the board for the first time.
Sears departed after 5 2/3 innings and 93 pitches, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked two.
It was his longest outing of the season at any level.
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But much like Game 1, when the Tigers squandered a 6-1 lead, this one would not be easy.
And a 3-1 lead wasn't much protection against the Guardians.
Beau Brieske retired all four batters he faced, three by strikeout, before Jacob Waguespack took over in the eighth.
Waguespack walked Steven Kwan to open the inning, then Bazzana launched a two-run homer to right-center to tie the game.
After the Tigers failed to score in the top of the 10th, Kenley Jansen returned for his second inning of work in the bottom half.
The Tigers made a brilliant play on Rocchio's sacrifice-bunt attempt. Third baseman Colt Keith fielded the ball and whirled to throw to shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who was covering third, to nab Patrick Bailey, the automatic runner.
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But Rocchio promptly stole second. After Kwan flew out, he stole third.
Bazzana then hit a two-out single up the middle to bring him home and end the Tigers' long, painful day.
Up next:The Tigers and Guardians meet again on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez (8-10, 4.36 ERA) will face Guardians lefty Parker Messick (11-8, 2.46).
Messick was one of the American League's best pitchers in August, going 3-2 with a 2.02 ERA, 39 strikeouts and seven walks in 35 2/3 innings over six starts. He received votes for both AL Pitcher of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month, although he won neither.
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Valdez has gone at least 5 2/3 innings in six consecutive starts.
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