The Tigers have seemed to have their stuff together these last few weeks and it’s kind of nice to see glimpses of the team to come as you watch them figure it out on the field. Tonight’s outing (late outing) and the Tigers’ last West coast trip of the season was another fun one to watch.
The pitching matchup was Tarik Skubal versus Griffin Canning. And while it may be canning season in your grandma’s kitchen, it certainly wasn’t Canning’s night.
In the first Kerry Carpenter got a two-out single, followed by a Miguel Cabrera single. Andre Lipcius then singled to bring home Carpenter and put the Tigers on the board early. Skubal had a nice 1-2-3 bottom of the inning.
Onto the second and Jake Rogers got a one-out single. Parker Meadows then drew a walk. Spener Torkelson then singled to bring Rogers home. Tigers were up 2-0. The Angels once again went down in order.
The Tigers were hitless in the third, but so were the Angels, so no harm no foul (well there were fouls but that’s neither here nor there).
Javier Baez homered to kick off the fourth. Parker Meadows also collected a base hit but the Tigers would need to settle for the one extra run.
In the bottom of the fourth Kyren Paris bunted for a single. Logan O’Hoppe was technically a strikeout, but thanks to a wild pitch from Skubal he was able to reach first safely. Still, Skubal worked his way out of the jam.
Three-up-three-down for the Tigers in the fifth. Randal Grichuk singled to start off the Angels’ half of the inning, but three outs to follow kept the Angels off the board.
With two outs in the sixth, Jake Rogers homered, putting the Tigers up 4-0.
The Angels got a baserunner with a Brandon Drury hit-by-pitch but couldn’t convert the free pass to a run.
The Angels turned to their bullpen in the seventh, with Jose Marte out of the pen. He handled the Tigers well with a 1-2-3 inning. Skubal faced the Angels in the seventh but there was a pause to check out his fingers, which could be troubling down the line. David Fletcher hit a solo home run, ending the shutout, and once Skubal wrapped the inning that was it for his night with a final line of 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 HR on 91 pitches. A really good night for him so let’s hope that finger issue isn’t anything serious.
Miguel Cabrera singled at the top of the eighth and that was just the beginning of the Tigers’ eighth inning hotness. Tyler Nevin came on to pinch-run for Miggy, Andre Lipcius then singled, and was also replaced for a pinch-runner in Zack Short. Zach McKinstry came out to hit for Andy Ibanez, and immediately singled to load the bases. A Javier Baez double cleared the bases.
Jake Rogers then singled, followed by a Parker Meadows walk. A Matt Vierling sac fly scored Baez. Spencer Torkelson doubled to score Rogers, then a Kerry Carpenter singled scored Meadows and Torkelson. Tyler Nevin walked, but that was it for scoring and at the half-inning the Tigers were up 11-1.
In the bottom of the inning with Miguel Diaz on the mound Brett Phillips hit a leadoff single but would be the only baserunner for the inning.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. In the bottom half Trey Wingenter was next out of the pen. A bit of amused applause went through the stadium as pitcher Eduardo Escobar took the plate for an at-bat. Jared Walsh hit a solo home run with two outs. David Fletcher then singled. The Angels would have to be happy with that one home run, though because the inning ended shortly thereafter.
Final: Tigers 11, Angels 2