Tigers 6, Royals 5 (F/11): A thrilling walk off win on Jim Leyland Night

Despite the Tigers’ lack of a full rotation, this was a very well pitched game on both sides. The Royals built a slim lead in the middle innings against Kenta Maeda, but the Tigers came up with an inspired rally in the bottom of the ninth to send this to extras. It took a pair of thrilling innings with heroics from most of the rookies to get there, but Parker Meadows and Wenceel Pérez came through in style to walk off the Royals on Jim Leyland Night.

This day was about newly minted Hall of Fame manager, Jim Leyland. The skipper, who led the Tigers from 2006-2013, producing two World Series appearances, had his number retired by the Tigers in a fun and fittingly swift ceremony prior to the game. The number 10 went up on the brick wall out right next to that of Sparky Anderson. Miguel Cabrera and Willie Horton were on hand, along with plenty of former Tigers. A nice video tribute included Justin Verlander and Dave Dombrowski among many others.

The final moment of the festivities was Leyland going to the Tigers bullpen for a big hug with A.J. Hinch, after which he thanked the assembled players in the dugout and audibly told them to “go get a f*****g win,” before heading to his suite to watch the game with his oldest, dearest friend, Gene Lamont.

Obviously the Tigers rotation is in shambles after being one of the better units in the league in the first half. On this night, Tyler Holton got the start, with Kenta Maeda waiting in the wings to take over in the middle innings. Opposing them was Michael Lorenzen for the Royals.

The story early on was all Tyler Holton. In just 33 pitches, the lefty dispatched nine straight Royals hitters, running his scoreless innings streak to 22 ²⁄₃ innings of work. He’ll likely be the opener twice each turn through the “rotation” until the Tigers get Casey Mize and Reese Olson back. Mize threw live BP to Kerry Carpenter and Parker Meadows earlier in the afternoon, and looks like he and Carpenter both may be close to going out for rehab assignments. Here’s hoping, because they badly need them healthy.

Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn’t do much with Lorenzen either. They got a two-out double from Matt Vierling in the bottom of the first, but stranded him. In the third, Jake Rogers reached on an error with one out. Wenceel Pérez struck out, but Colt Keith and Vierling walked to load the bases. Justyn-Henry Malloy grounded into a force to end the inning.

Kenta Maeda took over in the fourth. He got the first two outs but then issued a walk and then Salvador Perez smacked a ground rule double—which is really an automatic double but no one cares anymore—into the left field corner and over the wall on a hop. Hunter Renfroe grounded out on a nice play by Andy Ibáñez at third base to escape the jam. From there, Maeda dialed it in again and was pretty good.

In the fourth, a pair of singles by Bligh Madris and Meadows were sandwiched around a double play ball off the bat of Ibáñez, and again the Tigers were turned away when Javy Báez flew out deep in the right center field gap.

Maeda got through the fifth looking pretty good and giving up just a single. The Tigers went in order in the bottom half, with a sharp lineout off the bat of Colt Keith illustrating how things were going.

Maeda continued to look good in the sixth. striking out Freddy Fermin and Bobby Witt Jr. with nasty splitters down and locating his fastball at 91-93 mph. Finally, Vinnie Pasquantino battled through a seven pitch AB and got a 3-2 slider at the bottom of the zone. He smoked that thing to right field for a solo shot, and the Royals led 1-0 after six.

With two outs in the sixth, Madris hit a deep line drive the opposite way, one hopping it off the warning track and over the wall for a double. Ibáñez got fooled by a sweeper down and in and just flared a little blooper into right field for an RBI single and a tie ballgame. That was the end of the night for Lorenzen.

Michael Massey singled with one out in the seventh as Maeda’s command started to come unraveled. Chris Fetter came out for a visit, but it didn’t help as a 2-2 splitter hung up to Paul DeJong and got smoked to left field for a two-run shot. 3-1 Royals.

MJ Melendez followed with a single to right field, but he tried to stretch it into a double and Wenceel Pérez spun and made a perfect throw to Báez, who sold it perfectly by not reacting to the throw coming until the throw got there and he snapped a hard tag on Melendez’s head to cut him down. Kyle Isbel reached when Colt Keith booted a pretty routine play, and A.J. Hinch went to Will Vest to keep the game 3-1. He was successful, getting a ground out to Keith.

The Tigers were not successful, as they went 1-2-3 in the bottom half, with Pérez flying out to the wall in right field.

In the eighth, Vest struck out Witt Jr., but Pasquantino singled. Sal Perez bounced into a force of Pasquantino, and the Tigers came very close to turning the double play. Instead they lost their challenge, and with two outs now, Renfroe singled as well. That was it for Vest as Bryan Sammons came on to try and get the left-handed hitting Michael Massey. The Royals pinch hit with Maikel Garcia, and Sammons got him to fly out to Meadows in center field.

The Royals turned to Lucas Erceg, the hard-throwing right-hander they acquired at the deadline, and you could see why as he carved through Keith, Vierling, and Malloy with high powered stuff.

Sammons again pitched well, racking up outs on all four hitters he faced, and it was last call for the Tigers.

The Royals also dealt for Hunter Harvey at the deadline, and he’s now among a talented group of high leverage relievers they’ve collected. The Royals rightly prioritized the bullpen to win on the cheap without many high end talents on the roster. Take note Scott Harris.

However, Bligh Madris got things started on the right foot, absolutely crushing a Harvey splitter to right center field for a 422 foot solo shot. That was Madris’ first major league home run.

Hinch inserted Zach McKinstry to hit for Andy Ibáñez, and it was the right move. McKinstry fought off some tough pitches and then smoked a double just fair down the right field line to get the tying run to second base. Suddenly, after a quiet day the offense was in business with a shot at a very fitting come from behind victory on Jim Leyland Day.

Parker Meadows grounded out to second base, moving McKinstry to third for Javy Báez. The Tigers’ shortstop was looking to lift something to the outfield to tie the game. Báez fought off some tough pitches and then smoked a line drive off the wall in left for a game tying double.

Báez now represented the game winning run. Jake Rogers lifted a deep fly out to left center field. Báez couldn’t advance, but with Wenceel Pérez at the dish, he stole third base and all the Tigers needed was a single. Unfortunately, Pérez grounded out to send this to extra innings.

Jason Foley came on for the 10th, and got Fermin to ground out to Keith. That moved the runner on second, Kyle Isbel, to third. The Tigers opted to pitch to Bobby Witt Jr., because they do this, and the Royals second baseman slapped a sinking line drive into center field. Parker Meadows came in and made a pretty incredible diving catch on the play, but Isbel was easily able to tag and score to make it 4-3. However, that did keep Witt off the basepaths, and Pasquantino grounded out.

Giving up the run on second is standard. Not giving up any more is the key, and Foley did the job. Now the Tigers had to answer with emphasis.

Wenceel Pérez started on second, so the Tigers had speed in scoring position. Lefty Kris Bubic came on for the Royals. Colt Keith grounded out to move Pérez to third, but Matt Vierling struck out on a changeup away after they’d repeatedly jammed him inside. That left it up to Justyn-Henry Malloy.

Malloy chased twice early, and then settled into his two-strike approach and smoked an opposite field double to tie the game. Beautiful piece of hitting there under pressure from the rookie.

Hinch pinch-hit Gio Urshela for the left-handed hitting Madris, but the Royals intentionally walked him to keep the force at all three bases. Hinch then turned to Ryan Vilade to pinch hit for McKinstry against the lefty. Vilade grounded out, and it was on to the 11th inning.

RATS!!!

Well, at least this game finally got pretty entertaining. Plenty of fight from the young Tigers’ lineup was good to see.

Foley was still fresh and came back out for the 11th. Pasquantino started the inning on second but was pinch run for by Dairon Blanco. Foley struck out Sal Perez, and then Blanco broke for third and was cut down trying to steal by Rogers…temporarily.

It was a close play as Blanco tried the swim move on the outfield side of third base. Vierling may have grazed Blanco’s arm, though eventually he tagged him square in the chest just after Blanco’s hand touched the base. The Royals challenged, and while the angles we saw weren’t very convincing either way, the call was eventually overturned and Hunter Renfroe singled in the run to make it 5-4 Royals. Maikel Garcia and Paul DeJong flew out, and it was up to the Tigers to answer back again.

They did answer and quickly. James McArthur took over for the Royals, and Parker Meadows took a bunch of tough breaking balls inside and forced him to come over the plate with a fastball. He got the fastball and he absolutely killed a screaming line drive over Renfroe in right to drive in the tying run. The ball caromed around and Meadows raced all the way around to third. Huge impact in Meadows first game back.

The Royals didn’t want a fly ball so they walked Javier Báez to pitch to Jake Rogers, and that was the right move. Rogers grounded into a double play and the whole stadium was momentarily deflated. However, one Wenceel Pérez stepped into the box, and you’ve gotta like your odds of a ball in play when he’s hitting.

Pérez got a first pitch sinker right into his happy zone down and in. He did not miss. The rookie hammered it to right and just beyond the outstretched glove of Renfroe for a walk off single, and there was joy in Tigertown.

We love this man.

What a comeback. Couldn’t have a more fitting victory on Jim Leyland Night than the gritty effort put forth by the Tigers, particularly the young guys coming through. Malloy, Pérez, Meadows, and while Madris is a little older, he’s still a rookie. Heck of a win.

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Congrats to Jim Leyland!