Happy Friday, friends. We’re entering the final series of the first half, and up against the Dodgers it’s bound to be a nail-biter, but the Tigers certainly had their competitive pants on today (maybe it’s the City Connect jerseys).
Tarik Skubal was up against James Paxton, and for a moment, please, let me remind you all of the time James Paxton was attacked by a bald eagle. It’s not relevant to this game, I just need to share this whenever I have an opportunity.
Skubal was dialed in from the very start, taking the top of the Dodgers lineup out 1-2-3 to open the game. In the home half Justyn-Henry Malloy got a one-out single, then Matt Vierling walked. A long Riley Greene double scored both baserunners to put the Tigers up 2-0. Mark Canha then walked, but no additional runs scored.
The Dodgers were three-up, three-down again in the second. Ryan Vilade got a one-out walk in the bottom half, then a Malloy triple (THAT SPEED) scored Vilade.
In the third, Enrique Hernandez reached on a fielding error from Javier Baez, but Skubal didn’t let anyone else get on base. In the home half, Mark Canha got a two-out ground-rule double, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run to put the Dodgers on the board. Teoscar Hernandez then drew a walk, and advanced to second on a groundout. Then an Andy Pages single scored Hernandez. In the home half Ryan Vilade got a one-out single, and Malloy got a walk, which chased Paxton from the game, being replaced with Yohan Ramirez, who got the final out of the inning.
The Dodgers went 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning Canha singled, but then got tagged trying to stretch it to a double.
Again in the sixth the Dodgers went down in order. That was the end of the game for Skubal who went 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR on 81 pitches. Hopefully the next start from him we see will be next week in Texas. Evan Phillips was the next out of the Dodgers’ pen. Vilade got a two-out single, but did not score.
Will Vest came out in relief, and gave up a leadoff single to Miguel Rojas. He got the next three outs in order. In the home half, Blake Treinen was in for relief, and Wenceel Perez singled, and then stole second but the Dodger challenged the safe call and his foot briefly came off the bag with the tag on, so the call was overturned and the Tigers lost their baserunner. Then Riley Greene reached on a hit-by-pitch to the toe, then got tagged trying to get back to first, and while called safe initially, the Dodgers once again challenged, and once again the call was overturned to end the inning.
Beau Brieske came in for the eighth. then gave up a single to Will Smith. A Freddie Freeman single advanced Smith to third, and that was it for Brieske, who was replaced by Jason Foley. Foley came close to striking out Teoscar Hernandez (like, within an inch), but Hernandez singled to score Smith and tie the game. The new Dodgers reliever was Michael Peterson, who issued a leadoff walk to Mark Canha, then balked to advance him to second. It amounted to nothing, and the Tigers went onto the ninth.
Foley was back out for the ninth, hoping to keep the game tied 3-3. Chris Taylor got a one-out single, and that was it for Foley, being replaced by Tyler Holton, as well as a hope and a prayer. A pinch-hitting Austin Barnes then singled to put two on. Ohtani hit a ground-rule double to score Taylor and give the Dodgers the lead. Will Smith got intentionally walked, loading the bases. Then Wenceel Perez made a truly miraculous catch to get the final out of the inning.
Daniel Hudson came in for the Dodgers next. Colt Keith got a one-out walk, and Perez followed behind him with another walk. Greene got a nice pitch to hit, but it fell short and they had to take the one-run loss.
Final: Dodgers 4, Tigers 3