The West Coast trip continues with another late night game, as the Tigers opened up their weekend series against the A’s in Oakland. It was Tarik Skubal on the mound (with a lot of his family in the stands looking on) up against Mitch Spence for the A’s. Also, might be worth noting this is the last time the Tigers will ever play in Oakland, as the team will move temporarily to Sacramento next year while the Las Vegas deal is finalized. There’s something a little melancholy about that if you think about some amazing postseason moments that took place in Oakland, including during the Tigers’ run to the 2012 World Series.
Anyway, onto the game.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the first. For the A’s, Lawrence Butler singled to start the home half before being eliminated in a double play. A flyout then ended the inning scoreless.
Kerry Carpenter opened the second with a double, then got to third on a groundout. He was eliminated heading home in a force out play that saw Spencer Torkelson safe on first. Zach McKinstry singled, but no runs scored. The A’s were three-up, three-down in the bottom half.
In the third, Jace Jung got a two-out single, then Riley Greene followed with a single of his own. Unfortunately, they were both left stranded. The A’s once again went out in order.
Zach McKinstry managed a two-out single in the fourth, but like with previous efforts, the Tigers were unable to bring him home. Lawrence Butler started the home half with a single, then Brent Rooker followed it up with a single. JJ Bleday singled, and you’d think that might score two runs, but you’d be very wrong, as some Little League baserunning resulted in too many runners divided between second and third and not enough places to put them, and Rooker getting tagged out, while Bleday ended up at second when it was all said and done. Just some really unfortunate baserunning that benefitted the Tigers enormously.
Parker Meadows got a one-out single in the fifth, followed by a Jace Jung single. Then Riley Greene singled to bring Meadows home and put the Tigers on the board first. That was it for Mitch Spence, who was replaced by T.J. McFarland.
The Tigers didn’t get a long time to celebrate their lead. Zack Gelof got a one-out double, then Jacob Wilson tripled to bring him home and tie up the game. It was a bit of an ugly catch attempt from Carpenter that allowed the triple, but man, Carpenter was covering a lot of ground tonight.
Hogan Harris was the next reliever up for the A’s and gave up a one-out walk to Zach McKinstry. The Tigers weren’t able to get much else going. In the home half Brent Rooker singled, then Shea Langeliers followed with a single. Now feels like a good time to ask if anyone else thinks of the Stephen King novella The Langoliers every time you hear Shea’s name, or is that just me? A Bleday force out eliminated Langeliers, but advanced Rooker to third. Former Tiger Daz Cameron singled to score Rooker, giving the A’s a narrow lead. That was also it for Skubal, who was replaced by Will Vest. Skubal’s final line was 5.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K on 96 pitches. Not his best outing to be sure, but he still pitched out of quite a few jams. Vest finished off the rest of the sixth.
In the seventh, Riley Greene got a two-out double, and a pinch-hitting Matt Vierling had the A’s go to their pen for rightie Michel Otanez. Back-to-back wild pitches then managed to score Riley Greene and tie up the game. Vierling drew a walk, and soon after advanced to second on yet another wild pitch. No runs scored after that, but the wild pitch tie game was certainly memorable…
Jacob Wilson singled, then Lawrence Butler singled, and that was it for Vest, who gave way to Jason Foley. When Foley faced Rooker, Rooker got a called hit-by-pitch, but the Tigers challenged it, and won the challenge. The A’s left their baserunners stranded.
Top of the eighth, another pitching change as Tyler Ferguson came in for the A’s and got the Tigers out in order. Sean Guenther then got the A’s out in order, and we headed to the ninth.
Mason Miller was in for the A’s, and throwing heat. and got the Tigers out in order. Tyler Holton got the nod in the home half and managed to hold the game to a tie and keep things going in extras. The strike zone this game has been absolutely brutal, btw. Super wide, nonsensical.
With two outs in the top of the 10th, Colt Keith hit a perfectly-placed single to score ghost runner Ryan Kreidler and give the Tigers the lead. They just needed to get through the bottom of the inning. Brenan Hanifee replaced Holton after one out, and of course Brent Rooker doubled to score the ghost runner and re-tie the game. Shea Langeliers reached on a fielder’s choice, but the A’s didn’t get their walk-off just yet.
Onto the eleventh and Scott Alexander was the next to pitch. Ghost runner Torkelson advanced to third on a McKinstry groundout. Jake Rogers was intentionally walked to get to Parker Meadows, which is certainly a choice. And it burned them HARD as Meadows scored two runs on a beautifully hit double. BAM.
The Tigers turned to Shelby Miller to get through the bottom of the eleventh. Dan Dickerson waxed poetic about how Miller was finding the zone better, like it matters with tonight’s strike zone. The ghost runner JJ Bleday advanced to third on a groundout. Then Seth Brown homered to… re-tie the game. Am I in purgatory? Is a never-ending A’s game how my eternity will be spent?
Onto the twelfth.
Grant Holman was pitching for the A’s and gave up a single to Riley Greene who was able to score the runner and give the Tigers the lead again. A double play followed, and the Tigers were not able to score any additional runs. Beau Brieske was the next Tigers’ pitcher, hoping to keep the Tigers in line for the win. Nick Allen was called out on a sac bunt that sent Max Schuemann to third. The A’s contested the out call, and it was overturned. Lawrence Butler then walked to load things up with no outs. Brent Rooker then hit a sac fly to tie the game again. Naturally.
And we’re onto the thirteenth.
McKinstry got a one-out walk. Jake Rogers walked to load the bases. Alas, Meadows couldn’t be a grand slam hero two nights in a row. Into the home half and a one-out single from Seth Brown scored the ghost runner to walk the game off at the end of thirteen innings.
Final: A’s 7, Tigers 6