Yesterday we saw the really top-notch return of Tarik Skubal to the Tigers rotation, and today I think we were all collectively excited to see Eduardo Rodriguez back on the mound. I’m sorry to report that while Skubal’s first four innings back, we were not to have the same luck two nights in a row.
I’ll tell you now, if you want to read about a winning game, this is not the recap for you.
If you want to read about a good game, this is also not the recap for you.
I guess let’s go over it.
Top of the first started with an Esteury Ruiz single, and he then stole second. Then Jordan Diaz singled. A Brent Rooker sac hit brought Ruiz home and the A’s were on the board just three batters in. A Ryan Noda home run then scored two additional runs, and I’m here to tell you it’s only going to get worse. Bottom of the inning the Tigers went down in order and they’re going to do that a lot for the rest of this recap. Sorry for the grim foreshadowing.
Rodriguez found his groove a bit in the second, and both teams went 1-2-3.
In the top of the third Jordan Diaz singled with one out, and then one out later and Aledmys Diaz double brought Jordan home. The Tigers were once again unable to get a baserunner in the bottom of the inning.
Shea Langeliers homered to start off the fourth, putting the A’s up 5-0. It was the only run Rodrigues allowed in the inning, but it wasn’t a great one to give up. A Zach McKinstry single in the bottom of the fourth made sure the Tigers weren’t angling to be no-hit, but he was then erased but a double play, so you guessed it, no runs scored.
Rodriguez’s day was done and his final line was 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 2 HR on 79 pitches. There’s certainly stuff to like in there, but the box score wasn’t pretty. Mason Englert came out of the pen and gave up a two-out single to Rooker, but kept any new runs from scoring. The Tigers didn’t even manage a baserunner in the bottom of the inning.
Things got very very bad in the sixth. Langeliers reached on a single, but got to second thanks to a throwing error from McKinstry. That was it for Englert, who gave way to Zach Logue. JJ Bleday singled, and then Nick Allen walked. A Tony Kemp single then score Langeliers and Bleday. Kemp stole second, and a Ruiz single then allowed Allen and Kemp to score. The A’s were not 9-0. The Tigers would have to settle for a Miguel Cabrera walk in the bottom half, because it was all they got.
Logue was kind of surprisingly back out for the seventh, but managed a quick 1-2-3 inning. Unfortunately the Tigers also went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Logue’s work continued in the eighth and… well… Allen singled, Kemp singled, Tyler Wade grounded into a fielder’s choice back to the mound, but Allen was able to score. A Jordan Diaz home run then scored two more. A’s up 12-0. In the bottom half though, the Tigers managed to wake up their offense a little. Jonathan Schoop got a leadoff walk, then Tyler Nevin walked. A Cabrera double then brought Schoop home. Jake Marisnick hit a sac fly to score Nevin. The Tigers would have to settle for two runs, but that’s two better than nothing.
Logue continued his efforts in the ninth, and had a nice 1-2-3 outing. The Tigers were down to their last chance to do something, and they started it off with a Spencer Torkelson stand-up triple. A Schoop double then scored Torkelson. The Tigers were unable to make it a comeback, however.
Final: A’s 12, Tigers 3