Tyler Holton: closer, long reliever… starter? Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch has fallen in love with the “opener,” pitching a reliever against the first few batters and then putting in the more typical starter so that the better batters at the top of the opposing team’s lineup don’t get to face any one pitcher too often. Coincidentally, the Tigers started using this strategy after the All-Star Break when they started playing better.
Before Holton threw a pitch, the Tigers’ offense started against Albert Suarez and the Baltimore Orioles. The two pitchers, Suarez and Holton, threw easy, scoreless first innings.
The top of the second started the trouble for Suarez, as right fielder Spencer Torkelson whacked a changeup down the middle of the plate and sent it deep to left field to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead. Rookies Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney then laced back-to-back doubles to tack on another early run. Holton continued to deliver, finishing two scoreless, no-hit innings.
Come the third, Kerry Carpenter joined the party with a solo home run of his own. The Orioles, however, punched with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth, propelled by a Cedric Mullins two-run home run to knot the game at 3-3 through five innings.
Immediately after, in the top of the sixth, Carpenter again homered with a solo blast to put the Tigers ahead for good, 4-3. The bullpen was a strength, locking down the game and an important series win.
Minnesota lost both ends of their doubleheader with the Red Sox, leaving the Tigers in the last wild-card playoff spot as of Sunday night. Another helpful loss, the Kansas City Royals lost again, marking six losses in a row for KC, dating back to the start of their set with the Tigers, and leaving the two tied in the standings for the fifth seed on the AL side of the playoff bracket.
