Detroit Tigers right-hander Alex Faedo completed five innings Thursday.
The 26-year-old became the first MLB pitcher since 2013 to start his big-league career by posting at least five innings and allowing no more than two runs in each of his first six games.
Two runs appeared to be too many, though, until Daz Cameron saved the Tigers’ offense with a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With Cameron’s swing, the Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins, 3-2, at Comerica Park in the five-game series finale.
“Let the dog off the leash,” outfielder Derek Hill said.
“These guys are great,” Cameron said. “We all come up with different names and words, so it’s always exciting to hear different stuff from them. I’m excited right now, actually, because I just heard that. ‘Dog off the leash,’ unleash him, let him out. That moment was a moment of unleash.”
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The Tigers (21-30) won four games in the lengthy series for their second straight series win against an American League Central rival. They’re now eight games behind the Twins for first place in the division after finishing 6-2 during their eight-game homestand. The Tigers have won 12 of 19 games.
“We feel like we’re playing better,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “The results will happen if we continue to play better. That’s the key, how we’re controlling ourselves on both sides of the ball. … It’s the result of what our process is. The results are going to come as soon as we continue to play more consistently like this.”
A one-out single from Eric Haase put the potential game-tying run on base against Twins right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan. Cameron hammered a second-pitch cutter for a 420-foot homer to center field.
It was Cameron’s first home run of the season.
“We’ve been on a roll,” Cameron said. “We’ve been putting in the work before the game, just doing a lot of practice leading up to that point where we go out there and perform. It’s starting to show out there.”
Faedo allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings, throwing 55 of 89 pitches for strikes.
“This clubhouse is really good,” Faedo said. “This staff is really good. I think everyone’s positive each and every day. We’re trying to take it one game at a time, and right now, we’re playing really good baseball. We’re going to keep trying to do that.”
Two relievers, left-hander Andrew Chafin and right-hander Jason Foley, combined for a scoreless sixth. Chafin walked Nick Gordon, a lefty hitter, with two outs, bringing Foley to the mound for a matchup with right-handed hitter Gio Urshela.
Gordon stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Haase, but Foley struck out Urshela to strand the runner. Foley returned for the seventh inning and put another zero on the scoreboard.
“Foley has been really good,” Hinch said. “His confidence is growing and his stuff is improving at the beginning of his outings, which is something that we said to him when we sent him down (to Triple-A Toledo). … There’s a lot to like with him in those situations, especially when they stack those righties at the bottom of the order. He can really be effective.”
Righty Alex Lange tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Lefty closer Gregory Soto did the same in the ninth for his 10th save of 2022 in 11 chances.
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First steps
For the third game in a row, the Tigers opened the scoring with at least one run in the first inning. And for the second straight game, rookie Spencer Torkelson grounded into an inning-ending double play in the first frame.
The first three batters reached safely against Twins right-handed starter Chris Archer: Willi Castro (hit by pitch), Harold Castro (walk) and Jonathan Schoop (RBI single).
The single from Schoop scored Willi Castro from second base and put the Tigers ahead 1-0.
“I do like how we’re getting into the games,” Hinch said. “Both Castros are swinging the bat very well. Jonathan Schoop has settled in nicely. It’ll be good to get Javy (Báez) back in there somewhere in the top five.”
Schoop is hitting .198 in 50 games this season but .319 with eight extra-base hits, including two home runs, since May 22, a span of 12 games.
The Tigers had runners on first and second base for designated hitter Miguel Cabrera, who lined out to second baseman Jorge Polanco for the first out in the first inning.
Then, Torkelson stranded both runners with an inning-ending double play. The 22-year-old, hitting .203 in 46 games, has grounded into six double plays this season, including once in each of his past three games.
Archer allowed one run on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts, tossing 35 of 57 pitches for strikes. Right-handed reliever Jhoan Duran grabbed Archer’s momentum and fired two scoreless innings.
The Tigers’ offense combined for three runs on five hits — one each by Cameron, Haase, Schoop, Torkelson and Harold Castro — and one walk with six strikeouts.
“For us to be able to generate some offense, the at-bats are better,” Hinch said. “The results follow the process. It’s not just simply mixing the names. It’s having better at-bats, and we’ve been able to do that.”
Torkelson singled down the left-field line in the fourth inning and — because of the hard-hit ball taking an unlucky bounce in foul territory — was thrown out by Gordon, Minnesota’s left fielder, while attempting to advance to second base.
Minnesota’s revenge
The Twins didn’t wait around to strike back.
To open the top of the third inning, Gordon singled on Faedo’s 2-0 fastball and came around to score, tying the game on Gio Urshela’s RBI double to left field.
“He was OK,” Hinch said of Faedo. “I don’t think he was at his best.”
Facing Urshela, Faedo missed the strike zone with two fastballs. He fell behind 2-0 in the count. He then tossed another fastball, this time in the strike zone, for his third pitch, which Urshela yanked to drive in the Twins’ first run.
“I fought myself a little bit and got behind some hitters,” Faedo said. “They did a good job keeping pressure on me. I was happy I got through five (innings) to give the team a chance to win.”
Faedo retired the next two batters, but he walked Byron Buxton on five pitches. After pitching coach Chris Fetter’s mound visit, Faedo retired Max Kepler on three pitches to strand two runners in the third.
The Twins snagged a 2-1 lead in the fourth on Gordon’s RBI double to left-center field. Left fielder Kody Clemens, who collided with the fence, nearly tracked down the ball, but it dropped in just beyond his outstretched glove.
For his 89 pitches, Faedo relied on 53 four-seam fastballs (60%), 27 sliders (30%) and nine changeups (10%). He recorded 12 swings and misses — seven fastballs and five sliders — along with 12 called strikes.
“He just didn’t look like he had his normal command,” Hinch said. “He walked a couple guys he doesn’t normally walk. But he battled, kind of the Alex Faedo vibe that he gives. He never gives in, stays in there, hangs in there and gets a huge out in the fifth to get out of his outing. I think his effort was tremendous.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.