Tigers 9, White Sox 7: Not enough pitching

In 17 games the Detroit Tigers scored only 45 runs, averaging just 2.6 per game. As a team, they were hitting .203/.280/.311 and only scored more than five runs in a game twice.

Of course in their first game against the White Sox, Detroit unleashed for a season-high nine runs on 14 hits on their way to a 9-7 victory.

Sox hitters had a tough time squaring up against Tigers starter, Tyson Ross. After four innings, only Ryan Cordell had a base hit against Ross, who oddly retired 12 out of 13 batters without a strikeout. Meanwhile, old friend Gordon Beckham started the Tigers offense early. Beckham singled and scored off Greyson Greiner’s double in the second inning. In the fourth, Beckham singled, stole second, and scored off Greiner’s single giving Detroit a 2-0 lead early.

In the fifth inning is when Sox hitters started to figure Ross out. Three straight singles from Tim Anderson, Welington Castillo, and Yolmer Sanchez cut the lead in half to 2-1. Then after two quick outs in the sixth inning, Yonder Alonso hit a sharp grounder that Tigers first baseman Niko Goodrum couldn’t field cleanly. Second baseman Josh Harrison almost made the play from the outfield, but Alonso barely beat out the throw to keep the inning alive.

That set the stage for Eloy Jimenez, who took advantage of the second life by taking Ross deep to right field for his third home run of the season, and the Sox were ahead, 3-2.

Mount Eloy erupts again! Go inside! ?

That's home run No. 3 for #WhiteSox No. 1 Eloy Jimenez.

Here's how all of #MLB's top prospects are doing today: https://t.co/SjUDSIloUD pic.twitter.com/VRuO9yY1Wr

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 18, 2019

Anderson kept the rally going with a single to right field, and getting himself to third base after Greiner’s throw to second base sailed into center field allowing Anderson to swipe second and third base. Castillo hit a routine groundball to short, but Beckham misplayed it for the costly error allowing Anderson to score.

Then the game got crazy.

Up 4-2, Ivan Nova showed signs of losing steam allowing three singles in a row, one run scoring off a wild pitch on a poor blocking attempt by Castillo, and very quickly it was a 4-4 game. That didn’t last long as Cordell immediately put the Sox ahead again with a solo home run to lead off the seventh inning.

Opting to keep Nova in to save the bullpen, controversy struck in the bottom half. Facing Jacoby Jones, Nova hit him with a 78-mph curveball. On replay, it was clear that Jones stuck his elbow out over the plate. Home plate umpire Adam Hamari missed the call and allowed Jones to take his base.

What should have been a strikeout instead led to Jones tying the game when Nicholas Castellanos doubled to left field and advanced to third on the throw to home plate. Now tied 5-5, manager Rick Renteria pulled Nova ending his day with a line 6.1 IP 11 H 6 ER 3 K 0 BB. Kelvin Hererra was first out of the bullpen, and Miguel Cabrera greeted him by hitting a single to center field putting Detroit back ahead, 6-5.

On a 0-2 pitch, Goodrum doubled off Hererra putting more pressure on the Sox with runners in scoring position. After intentionally loading the bases by walking Jemier Candelario, Dustin Peterson hit a hard line drive right at Anderson. Not able to reel in the catch, Anderson did get the force out at second base, and an alert Sanchez threw to home hoping to nail Cabrera. Instead, the throw actually hit Cabrera, scoring the third run of the inning and Detroit’s lead grew to 7-5.

The Tigers had their share of bullpen issues as in the eighth inning Alonso doubled, and for the second time this week, Castillo came through in the clutch hitting a two-run homer to tie the game 7-7.

Welington Castillo se fueeeee para la calle su 2do. HR de la temporada. pic.twitter.com/NJBrIZ1gpZ

— ?? Miguel ® Ramos ™ ?? (@leugimramos) April 18, 2019

There was hope for more runs as Sanchez walked, Cordell singled, and Leury Garcia reached on a throwing error by Candelario loading the bases for Yoan Moncada.

A day after being hit in the head stealing second base, Moncada wasn’t able to put the ball in play striking out on a slider low in the zone ending the threat. Moncada went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, and missing out on that opportunity might have been the difference in this game.

Carson Fulmer called up again by the White Sox was tasked with the eighth inning. After allowing a single to Greiner on a 0-2 count, Fulmer hit both Jones and Harrison with pitches. Bases loaded, Castellanos hit a sac fly to center deep enough to score a run and move Jones from second to third base. That came in handy as Cabrera also hit a sac fly to left that plated Jones putting the Tigers ahead for good. Closer Shane Greene notched his ninth save of the season pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Game Notes:

• White Sox 1-2-3 hitters (Garcia, Moncada, and Abreu) went 0-for-15 today.
• Tim Anderson is now hitting .422 on the season with a 2-for-5 day at the plate and scored twice.
• The White Sox have allowed 107 runs in 18 games this season (5.94 runs allowed per game).

Record: 7-11 | Box Score | Highlights

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