Story by
Detroit Tigers shut down by Triple-A call-up pitcher in 4-1 loss to Minnesota Twins
- Story by
- Detroit Tigers shut down by Triple-A call-up pitcher in 4-1 loss to Minnesota Twins
There was a pitching duel between 27th men.
The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins were allowed to add a 27th player to their active rosters for Saturday's doubleheader, and both teams promoted a right-handed pitcher to start Game 2. The Tigers called up Matt Manning from Triple-A Toledo; the Twins called up Simeon Woods Richardson from Triple-A St. Paul.
Advertisement
Although Woods Richardson surrendered seven runs in his last Triple-A start, he shoved against the Tigers. Woods Richardson, who allowed one run on two hits and one walk in six innings, outperformed Manning in the Tigers' 4-1 loss to the Twins in Game 2 of the doubleheader at Comerica Park.
"I don't want to make excuses," said Manning, sent back to Toledo after Game 2. "It's definitely tough not knowing when you're pitching, then you're getting scratched, then all your routine is messed up, but that's what it is right now. I take the ball and try to pitch as best I can for this team."
Matt Manning of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning of game two of a doubleheader at Comerica Park on April 13, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.
The Tigers (8-6) dropped both games in the doubleheader.
Advertisement
GAME 1: Tigers can't keep perfect extra innings record in 11-5 loss to Twins
Manning gave up four runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across 6⅔ innings, throwing 92 pitches. He generated 12 whiffs on 50 swings, but he also surrendered a pair of home runs.
The homers haunted Manning.
Edouard Julien blasted a fastball for a solo home run to left-center field in the third inning for a 2-1 lead. Willi Castro , who played for the Tigers from 2019-22, turned on a sweeper for a two-run home run to right-center field in the sixth inning for a 4-1 lead. Both pitches were inside the strike zone.
Advertisement
"I think it's a good pitch," Manning said of the sweeper to Castro. "I just started him off with the same pitch in three at-bats in a row. I think he was sitting on that pitch. I've known Willi. He's told me before he can't hit my heater up, and I threw him the pitch that he was sitting on, so that's just the game."
The Twins scored their first run on Byron Buxton 's sacrifice fly in the first inning after Manning walked the first two batters of the game. He didn't walk another batter the rest of the way.
Manning threw 47 fastballs, 33 sweepers, six curveballs, three splitters and three sliders. He recorded his 12 whiffs with five fastballs and seven sweepers. He also recorded 12 called strikes with his fastball and five called strikes with his sweeper.
Advertisement
"I felt good," Manning said. "I think as the game went on, everything got sharper. I wasn't even mad at the home run pitches. It's more either pitch sequencing or the execution of it. They're good pitches. The game part of it needs to tighten up a little bit."
A couple of long balls made the difference in an otherwise solid start.
[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) ]
One run isn't enough
The Tigers tied the game, 1-1, with Javier Báez 's sacrifice fly in the second inning, following two singles and one walk. Báez got enough of Woods Richardson's slider inside the strike zone for a flyout to center field.
Advertisement
The ball traveled 352 feet.
"He mixed his pitches, and we never really centered him up a ton," manager A.J. Hinch said. "We didn't really pressure him. I think that was a little troublesome for us. We just couldn't center him up, and he did a nice job mixing and matching his pitches."
KEEPING CALM: Tigers' Parker Meadows maintains confidence while trying to time up fastballs
Woods Richardson threw 80 pitches in six innings of one-run ball, but he didn't return for the seventh inning. The Twins went to left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk , and the Tigers capitalized on the pitching change.
Advertisement
Matt Vierling delivered a leadoff single.
Wenceel Pérez hustled for a double with two outs.
Javier Baez of the Detroit Tigers hits a sacrifice fly ball to drive in a run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of game two of a doubleheader at Comerica Park on April 13, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.
The Tigers had two runners in scoring position with Báez entering the batter's box. The Twins swapped Funderburk with right-handed reliever Cole Sands , but the Tigers didn't use one of their left-handed hitters on the bench ( Zach McKinstry and Parker Meadows ) as a pinch-hitter for Báez.
Báez hit the ball hard, but he grounded out on a first-pitch, middle-middle fastball to end the inning and strand the runners.
A moment to remember
Before the double, Pérez notched the first hit of his MLB career off Woods Richardson in the second inning.
Advertisement
Pérez, who started in center field, tapped the ball to first base. The first baseman fielded the slow roller, but Woods Richardson didn't cover the bag in time. Pérez ran 26.9 feet per second on the infield single. He completed the single with a headfirst slide into first base.
"I hustled," Pérez said. "That's all that matters. It was great. It's a dream to come to the big leagues, get the first MLB hit. It's an unbelievable moment. It would have been better if we won."
FUN SERIES: Tigers host reigning AL Central champions, but the message stays the same
Pérez received cheers from the fans after his first hit.
Advertisement
"Isn't it awesome when guys have authentic reactions?" Hinch said. "Everybody was rooting for him."
In the seventh inning, Pérez hit a ground ball up the middle — to the left of second base — that rolled slowly into left-center field. He never slowed down on the bases, running 28.1 feet per second, to turn a single into a double. Pérez traveled from home to first in 4.59 seconds and from first to second in 3.6 seconds.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' bats stay quiet in 4-1 loss to Minnesota Twins
