Detroit Tigers could have won the American League Central with more offense
Days of Roar podcast on July 1, 2024 with MLB Network Radio’s Mike Ferrin discussing the Detroit Tigers. Subscribe to hear new episodes each week.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Keider Montero dominated Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees, striking out the best batters in the world, leaving two baserunners standing in the second inning and making his final inning look like child’s play.
It was an outstanding performance.
Montero didn’t throw a complete game, but he kept the Yankees from scoring for five innings to give them a 4-0 victory in the second of three games in the series. Two relievers, led by left-hander Tyler Holton, shut the door on the Yankees in the final four innings.
The Yankees limited themselves to four hits and three walks in this shutout.
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The Tigers (60-64) and the Yankees are scheduled to play the series finale on Sunday night at the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
All four of the Tigers’ runs were scored in the first two innings by left-hander Carlos Rodón.
With two outs in the first inning, Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a ground-rule double to left field, setting up Colt Keith to hammer a full-count slider to center field for an RBI single and a 1-0 lead.
Keith, a left-hander, continues to prove he can hit against left-handed pitchers.
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Spencer Torkelson – the 2020 No. 1 overall pick playing his first game since returning from Triple-A Toledo – inspired the Tigers in the second inning by hammering a high-velocity fastball from Rodón into right-center field for a leadoff double.
It was Torkelson’s 16th double in 55 games this season.
With two outs, Zach McKinstry hit an RBI single on a first-pitch fastball from Rodón to take a 2-0 lead. A walk by Matt Vierling kept the inning alive. Andy Ibáñez, a specialist against left-handed pitchers, hit a hanging slider from Rodón to left center field and scored two runs for a 4-0 lead.
Rodón, a two-time All-Star, allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk in 3.5 innings, threw 90 pitches and had five strikeouts. The Tigers hit his fastball hard.
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Led by Keider Montero, Tyler Holton
Montero received a standing ovation from the fans.
He left the mound after walking the first batter in the sixth inning, but the game-ending walk was not the highlight of his 11th appearance of his rookie season. The 24-year-old showed above-average control of his fastball and used his slider for weak contact.
Montero struck out Aaron Judge in a perfect first inning, walked two baserunners in the second inning, struck out Juan Soto, won a seven-pitch battle against Judge in the third inning, and struck out all six batters in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the first inning, Montero struck out Judge by painting a full-count sinker into the down-and-away corner of the strike zone. In the third inning, Soto missed a changeup in the bottom of the zone.
Montero allowed only two hits, one of which – a leadoff single in the third inning – should have been ruled a fielding error by Ibáñez at second base because the ball bounced over his glove.
Montero left the field after the sixth-inning walk, but Holton cleaned up the game by striking out Soto (strikeout), Judge (popout) and Austin Wells (groundout). Holton also put zeros on the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings, completing three scoreless innings while throwing 45 pitches.
Right-handed reliever Jason Foley mastered the ninth inning and left two runners in scoring position. For the last out, Anthony Volpe flew to the warning track in left field.
First MLB hit for Jace Jung
Third baseman Jace Jung, playing in his second MLB game, got the first hit of his MLB career with two strikes and two outs in the third inning, ripping a slider from Rodón, who was in the bottom of the strike zone, into right field for a groundball single.
He hit the ball with an exit velocity of 167 km/h.
Jung finished the game 2-for-4 with two singles, while Torkelson finished 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, a walk and a strikeout in his first MLB game since returning from the Triple-A level.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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