Detroit Tigers’ Eduardo Rodriguez throws seven scoreless innings in 6-0 win over Twins

The Detroit Tigers were embarrassed in the first game of the series.

In the second game? Not at all.

The Tigers received a brilliant performance — seven scoreless innings on 102 pitches — from left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez in his second start since the Aug. 1 trade deadline, leading to a 6-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday at Comerica Park.

“I felt really good,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like that was one of my best games that I’ve thrown this year. I didn’t have my third pitch working, but I used my other ones and was able to go seven innings. The (three) walks don’t matter. I went seven innings, and we won the game. That’s all I really want.”

The Tigers (50-63) supported Rodriguez, who has a 2.75 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 17 starts this season, by scoring three runs through the first four innings against Twins right-hander Sonny Gray.

Detroit became the 24th MLB team to reach 50 wins in 2023.

“The best part of Eduardo today was anchoring his staff when he saw us get beat up a little bit yesterday,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We went through a lot of bullpen arms. Guys are hanging a little bit. It’s August. He stepped up and delivered a gem. That part of it is the top-of-the-rotation guy that we like. That’s why we love when he’s out there.”

In the first inning, the Tigers took advantage of a throwing error by second baseman Jorge Polanco on a high up-the-middle bouncer from Miguel Cabrera. Riley Greene, who ripped a one-out double, scored on the error for a 1-0 lead.

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Cabrera’s single and Kerry Carpenter’s double put two runners in scoring position to begin the fourth inning. Both players were driven in with RBI singles from Javier Báez (off Gray’s two-strike down-and-away sweeper) and Zach McKinstry (off Gray’s first-pitch inside fastball).

The fourth-inning single from Cabrera marked the 3,141st hit of his 21-year MLB career, tying Tony Gwynn Jr. for 20th on the all-time list. An eighth-inning single from Cabrera moved the total up to 3,142 hits, passing Gwynn and tying Robin Yount for 19th on the all-time list.

“We have to realize, those are some big names getting into the top 20 for all-time hits,” Hinch said. “We’re kind of numb to it because we’ve it for a couple years. He’s inside 20 that have ever played the game.”

Gray allowed three runs (two earned runs) on seven hits and zero walks with 10 strikeouts in six innings, throwing 65 of 90 pitches for strikes. He generated 17 whiffs and 11 called strikes.

His immediate replacement, right-handed reliever Josh Winder, gave up a solo home run to Jake Rogers with one out in the seventh inning. The Tigers took a 4-0 lead on Rogers’ 14th homer of the season.

Still facing Winder, Zack Short — who entered as a defensive replacement in the top of the eighth inning — tacked on two runs with a bases-loaded single to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning. Before Short, Cabrera (single), Carpenter (single) and Báez (walk) reached safely,

Electric E-Rod

The Twins produced four hits and three walks against Rodriguez, but the best scoring opportunities occurred in the first and third innings.

After that, Rodriguez finished strong.

“When you’re pitching here, you’re always going to get that,” Rodriguez said of the pregame ovation from the fans at Comerica Park. “I like the way that they treat me here, and I love it. I like the way the fans have treated me since I got here. I really appreciate that.”

A single from Carlos Correa and a walk from Jordan Luplow revived the Twins following back-to-back outs to begin the first inning. Rodriguez stranded the runners on the bases by inducing Willi Castro’s groundout with a first-pitch fastball at the bottom of the strike zone.

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The Twins had runners on the corners — Donovan Solano (single) and Correa (single) — with two outs in the third inning. Once again, Rodriguez escaped the trouble when Luplow lined out to shortstop.

This time, though, Báez saved Rodriguez with a spectacular leaping catch to rob Luplow of a line-drive single into left field. The ball in play from Luplow had a .960 expected batting average.

It was the second-highest expected batting average in the entire game.

“That was an easy one-run inning,” Rodriguez said. “I saw him jump, and I jumped with him at the same time. That’s why we call him El Mago. He makes those magic patches all the time. I really enjoy just watching him.”

“He’s had a heavy heart and a lot on his mind,” Hinch said of Báez, whose grandfather died recently. “I thought he played well on both sides and contributed to the win. The catch, getting through that trouble allowed all of us to settle in.”

Rodriguez retired 12 of the final 15 batters he faced.

He recorded an inning-ending double play against Castro, an ex-Tiger, following Correa’s leadoff walk in the sixth inning, then worked around a leadoff single from Kyle Farmer with three consecutive outs in the seventh inning.

Rodriguez threw 57 four-seam fastballs (56%), 29 changeups (28%), seven cutters (7%), five sinkers (5%) and four sliders (4%). He generated 13 whiffs with eight four-seamers, four changeups and one cutter.

“That’s a hard way to live long-term,” Hinch said of Rodriguez’s two-pitch mix, “but I love how he went to it and started changing speeds and trying to disrupt timing without arguably his best pitch. I know his fastball is what he likes the most, but the cutter is usually extremely effective, and he couldn’t find it.”

Two from the bullpen

The Tigers, thanks to Rodriguez’s stellar start, saved their taxed bullpen.

Only two relievers — right-handers José Cisnero and Jason Foley — were required to shut down the Twins in the final two innings. Both relievers tossed scoreless innings to maintain the shutout.

Cisnero allowed a one-out double to Polanco, while Foley allowed a leadoff double to Castro.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.