Reds beat Tigers in aesthetically unimpressive game at Comerica Park
Chris McCosky
Detroit— September baseball isn’t always aesthetically pleasing.
Case in point: The Cincinnati Reds' 4-3 win over the Tigers Wednesday at Comerica Park. The winning run came in the fourth inning and was scored on a strike-em-out, throw-em-out play at second base. True story.
The Tigers had just tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third on Spencer Torkelson's 28th homer, a two-run opposite-field blast over the wall in right.
But things got messy for Tigers' lefty starter Eduardo Rodriguez. He walked Harrison Bader to start the inning and gave up a single to Noelvi Marte. TJ Friedl, the only left-handed hitter in the Reds lineup who tripled in two runs in the second, dropped a bunt toward third base. Third baseman Matt Vierling and Rodriguez both charged it.
Rodriguez fielded it and his first look was to an empty third base. By the time he turned to throw to first it was too late and the bases were loaded.
One run scored on a ground out by Luke Maile. The other scored on a broken play after Rodriguez struck out Jonathan India.
With Marte at third, Maile broke for second on the final pitch to India. Catcher Carson Kelly threw through to second base and Marte broke for home. Second baseman Andy Ibanez hesitated and then decided to finish the rundown and tag out Maile.
Marte scored before the out was recorded. And that ended up being the difference in the game.
"I had second thoughts on that play," Ibanez said through Tigers' bilingual interpreter Carlos Guillen. "I think that was a mistake on my part. I should have thrown home."
Said Kelly: "We didn't execute the play, but it was good base running by them, too. They read the throw and made a good decision to send him home."
The play was designed for Ibanez to redirect the throw back to Kelly. Manager AJ Hinch thought Ibanez might have bobbled the ball initially, which is why he proceeded to finish the rundown. Ibanez said he didn't bobble it, just hesitated.
"I thought we had a real shot to get him out at home," Hinch said.
This game featured a combined 14 walks (eight by Reds' pitchers), a hit-batsman, a parade of relievers and a fleet of runners stranded in scoring position (most by the Tigers) — the video won’t be sent to Cooperstown.
"We gave ourselves so many opportunities," Hinch said. "Every inning but the third. We didn't do much with them, obviously. That's tough in a close game. You figure if you take enough shots at it -- but we didn't do a ton. It's disappointing but it's also part of the game.
"You just have to keep giving yourself chances."
The Tigers were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position in the 6-5, 10-inning loss Tuesday night. They were 1 for 13 Wednesday.
Six Reds relievers covered six scoreless innings on Tuesday, allowing two hits. Seven relievers covered five scoreless innings Wednesday, limiting the Tigers to three hits. And, fun, the Reds have scheduled a bullpen game for the finale Thursday.
"I was asked before the series what was the key to beating these guys and I said you have to beat their starters," Hinch said. "Because if they hand it over to their bullpen, it's really hard. They can get opposite-handed hitters out and they keep coming at you."
The Tigers’ offense came on two swings.
Torkelson's homer was one. Then in the fourth, down 4-2, Parker Meadows walked and stole second without a throw. He has four stolen bases, two of them uncontested. He scored on a two-out double to left by Akil Baddoo.
Other than that, they left two on in the second, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Tigers drew eight walks and a hit-batsman, two of those eight scored.
Right-handers Daniel Duarte and Alexis Diaz locked it down with scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
Hinch let left-handed hitting Meadows, who is in an 0-for-25 skid, bat with two on and two out in the fifth against lefty reliever Sam Moll. He grounded back to the mound. Meadows struck out in the seventh with two on and one out against right-handed reliever Ian Gibaut. And he ended the game with a liner to first base with pinch-runner Zack Short on second against Diaz.
All the while, Javier Baez, the Tigers' $150 million shortstop was on the bench. This is where the Tigers are this month -- it's about opportunity and development for younger players.
"It's more about giving a runway to see what Parker can do," Hinch said. "These are big opportunities for him to grow and learn and battle against left-handed pitching. Where we're at right now, we're going to give our guys as many opportunities as we can to feel those pressure moments."
It was a flush-it night for Rodriguez, too. He walked five and lasted only 5.1 innings against the Reds. It’s the most walks he’s issued since Aug. 2, 2019, when, with, with the Red Sox, he walked six Yankees.
"Everything was just really off tonight," he said. "With all my pitches. The changeup was working but it was bouncing most of the time. And they took advantage of it...You have bad games and you have good games. When you have bad games like this you have to just turn the page and keep working."
Sound advice all the way around.
Twitter/X: @cmccosky