With Casey Mize squaring off against Patrick Corbin, it seemed like a good afternoon for things to go the Tigers’ way.
Here’s how the afternoon game went down.
The Nationals went 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The Tigers saw a two-out single from Mark Canha, who then stole second. They were not able to bring him home, though.
Joey Meneses got a one-out double, but it was followed by two quick outs to end the danger. Gio Urshela walked to start the home half, then Justyn-Henry Malloy was hit by a pitch to put two on. Unfortunately they were left stranded.
In the third, CJ Abrams got a two-out single, followed by a Lane Thomas single. Mize got the final out of the inning though, leaving two men on. Ryan Kreidler started off the bottom of the third with a single. Andy Ibanez singled one out later, then Mark Canha singled to score Kreidler, putting the Tigers on the board first. Two outs down and Urshela walked again, but the Tigers would need to settle for the one run.
Top of the fourth, Meneses walked, then Luis Garcia Jr. singled. Ildemaro Vargas hit a sac fly to score Meneses. Mize got out of the inning with just the one run scored. Bottom of the inning the Tigers went down in order.
In the fifth the Nationals went 1-2-3. In the home half Andy Ibanez was hit by a pitch, but was then eliminated in a double play, so the Tigers didn’t even get a chance to score.
This icon got what she needed, though.
In the sixth, Lane Thomas struck out then got the boot, most likely because he used a bad word and the umpire was not interested in warnings. Two more outs followed, and that was the end of the day for Mize who went 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K on 84 pitches. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Malloy hit his first Comerica Park home run.
Shelby Miller came in for relief, and Joey Meneses doubled, then a Vargas sac fly scored Meneses, tying the game again. They only managed the one run, however. In the bottom half Kreidler singled, then Matt Vierling singled, advancing Kreidler to third. Ibanez then doubled, scoring Kreidler. Canha then hit a sac fly to score Vierling. Riley Greene singled to score Ibanez, then Greene advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gio Ursehal walked, then a Justyn-Henry Malloy double then scored Greene and Urshela. By the end of the seventh the Tigers were up 7-2. (It behooves me to mention here that two of the MANY relievers the Tigers saw were former Tigers themselves: Derek Law and Jacob Barnes, but most of us have chosen not to remember the 2022 season, so you’re forgiven if you forgot this)
Happy Birthday, Tyler Holton, you’re out of the pen after one out in the eighth. He gave up a walk to CJ Abrams. Holton rallied and quickly got the next two outs. In the home half the Tigers went 1-2-3.
Onward to the top of the ninth where the Tigers simply wanted to get the final three outs. Andrew Chafin would be the man on the mound to get those final outs. He got three out in a row and the Tigers took home the W. No sweep tonight!
Final: Tigers 7, Nationals 2