Are you surprised that the Detroit Tigers lost to the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon? Of course you aren’t. The loss is their fourth straight and 12th in the last 14 games.
The 6-4 final was accelerated by a four-run sixth inning. Detroit starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull, who had struggled with his command throughout the day, plunked Aaron Hicks and walked Gary Sanchez before being lifted for Jose Cisnero. The reliever promptly walked Clint Frazier before being punished by both Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, and the home plate umpire, for a pair of two-run singles.
Turnbull’s final line saw him complete five innings, allowing five hits and three walks with four runs and just one strikeout.
If you’re into minor silver linings, there are a few. Instead of being out of the game in the fourth inning, this time they stuck around until the sixth. Progress!
In all seriousness, third baseman Jeimer Candelario was a bright spot in the loss. On top of a few solid plays at the hot corner, he broke the team’s 24-inning (!) scoreless streak with a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was his second long-ball of the season.
“Candy” finished the game with three hits.
Niko Goodrum had a strong showing, with typically good defense as well as reaching base three times. He also launched a solo home run of his own to get the game back within two runs. He was preceded the inning before with a Jonathan Schoop two-run single off of former Tiger Justin Wilson.
Aroldis Chapman kept his season-long scoreless streak alive with a stress-free ninth inning to put Detroit away in the top of the ninth and secure the New York win.
With the loss, there are naturally lowlights. For the 18th time this season, Tigers hitters struck out at least 10 times. Willi Castro wore a golden sombrero with four Ks, as well as multiple defense miscues again, while Schoop, Miguel Cabrera and Akil Baddoo were each set down twice as the team was punched out 13 times. The team has struck out 31 times in two games against the Yankees this series.
No numbers quite sum up the team’s offensive incompetence through 28 games than these.
How bad is the @tigers offense? The second lowest scoring team (Baltimore) still scores 30% more runs per games than Detroit’s 2.78. Detroit’s .199 team batting average means Mario Mendoza would be a top-of-order hitter 🙂
— Bruce MacLeod (@BruceIsOnline) May 1, 2021
The Tigers and Yankees will finish the series on Sunday afternoon. Jose Ureña and Corey Kluber will toe the rubber as Detroit looks to hold off a sweep.