Detroit — In a game initially predicated by defense, the Tigers went nearly seven innings without allowing a single hit before Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada had the definitive two-run homer needed to kick-start Detroit’s 6-0 loss on Friday night, the first of three at Comerica Park.
Moncada’s timely homer came in the top of the seventh inning with two outs. It was preceded by Chicago center fielder Luis Robert Jr., who connected on the White Sox’s first hit of the night as he lined one out far beyond third base. The White Sox added two more runs in the eighth inning when Andre Benintendi doubled to center, which drove in Yasmani Grandal and Oscar Colas.
Tigers (64-77) starting pitcher Reece Olson was well on his way to a no-hitter before Robert’s double, which set up Chicago’s onslaught of runs during the seventh and eighth innings.
He limited the Sox (55-86) to just two hits during his time on Friday on a season-high 104 pitches through six and two-third innings. He surpassed his previous career mark of 100 pitches, which he’s accomplished twice this season.
Olson, who was met with a warm ovation by the Tigers’ reported crowd of 18,483 after his final pitch, also finished with five strikeouts and a walk.
“Reece has some of the best stuff on our team,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “I think when he gets leverage, he gets in a really great spot and he’s got different shaped breaking balls. He could’ve used his changeup a bit more but it’s hard to argue the usage stuff that he did tonight. He was really good.”
Tyler Holton replaced Olson in the seventh inning, but he was quickly relieved of his duties after allowing three hits in the eighth. With runners on second and third base, right-handed pitcher Brendan White received one inning of game time. He allowed three more runs, which caused most fans to quickly file out of Comerica Park to get a head start on avoiding stadium traffic. Trey Wingenter, the Tigers’ fourth pitcher of the night, finished the game.
BOX SCORE: White Sox 6, Tigers 0
White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger allowed three hits on 90 pitches, which also included seven strikeouts. He was relieved in the eighth inning by right-handed pitcher Lane Ramsey. Brian Shaw closed the game.
“His fast ball was way better, he was pretty bullish with it,” Hinch said when asked about Clevinger’s performance. “He threw some strikes. He’s sort of an energy-driven pitcher who will create a lot of body movement and his stuff came out pretty hot today, so it’s better than what we saw last week obviously.”
Detroit appeared as if it would score its first runs of the night in the bottom of the seventh inning when both Kerry Carpenter and Miguel Cabrera flied out to the center, but both balls were ultimately caught and the Tigers’ chances of any kind of comeback quickly diminished.
Carpenter was perfect in his first two at-bats and finished 2-for-3 at the plate. Andy Ibanez was the only other Tiger to record a hit. Spencer Torkelson, who blasted a pair of two-run home runs against the New York Yankees on Thursday, was also cold as he finished 0-for-3.
“Obviously, we couldn’t really get anything started tonight offensively and that was the story of the game,” Hinch said.
Coming off a dominating 10-3 victory over the Yankees, the Tigers couldn’t duplicate the same amount of scoring consistency to hold off the White Sox, who were swept in last weekend’s series in Chicago.
Now, they’ll try to rebound on Saturday evening before the series wraps up on Sunday, which marks the official Major League debut of Tigers prospect pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long.
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
Twitter/X: @MikeACurtis2