The Detroit Tigers (6-1) fought until the end and mounted a dramatic comeback in the ninth inning, but eventually lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates (3-4) by a score of 5-4 on Monday afternoon at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
After scoring at a frantic pace to start the season, the Tigers ran into some very good starting pitching from Pittsburgh’s Garrit Cole (1-0, 3.27 ERA), who held Detroit batters to just one run on three hits over the first six innings.
Anibal Sanchez (1-1, 3.46 ERA) got the start for Detroit, and surrendered three home runs to Pirates’ hitters on the afternoon. Sanchez had given up just four home runs all of last season for Detroit.
While trailing 2-0 in the top of the seventh, the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs and looked to challenge the Pirates’ lead. Nick Castellanos hit into a double play that scored Miguel Cabrera, but Alex Avila popped out in the next at bat to end the inning.
The bottom half of the inning saw the one-run Pirates’ lead cracked open, after a solo shot from Pedro Alvarez and a pinch-hit two-run home run from Corey Hart that gave the Pirates a a 5-1 lead.
The Tigers put together one last push in the ninth, after Miguel Cabrera hit an RBI double to score Ian Kinsler, and JD Martinez drove a two-run home run to right field, bringing the Tigers back to within a run. After another base knock from Yoenis Cespedes, Nick Castellanos hit into a double play, and a pinch-hitting Victor Martinez struck out to end the Tigers’ bid for a comeback.
The three game series will continue tomorrow night at PNC Park with an air time of 6:40 p.m. on AM 590 WKZO.
