Redemption arrived in the ninth as Detroit’s rookie phenom laced a bases-loaded single to stun Los Angeles, avenging a narrow loss and silencing the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup.
For a second straight game, there was a familiar feel at Comerica Park.
Shohei Ohtani came to the plate in the first inning and struck out. Max Clark produced another extra-base hit. And once again, the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves playing a one-run game in which every scoring opportunity mattered.
This time, however, Kevin McGonigle made sure the ending was different.
McGonigle delivered the game-winning single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, scoring Javier Báez and giving the Tigers a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Dodgers.
One night after McGonigle flew out with runners on the corners to end the eighth inning of Detroit's 2-1 loss, the rookie found himself in another important situation. This time, he converted.
Báez opened the ninth with a double down the left-field line against Jack Dreyer. Clark followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Báez to third before the Dodgers intentionally walked Gleyber Torres. Hao-Yu Lee then walked to load the bases for McGonigle.
On a 1-2 slider, McGonigle drove the ball 98.8 mph into left-center field. The ball traveled 371 feet, but because Báez's run immediately ended the game, McGonigle was officially credited with an RBI single. The play completed a ninth inning built around Báez's extra-base hit, Clark executing the bunt and McGonigle finishing the job.
Deja Vu?
The Tigers had seen many of the same elements Friday night.
Ohtani struck out in his first at-bat Friday against Drew Anderson, and Keider Montero repeated the feat Saturday, getting Ohtani swinging to open the game. Clark, who tripled home Detroit's only run against former teammate Tarik Skubal on Friday, again found extra bases Saturday when he lined a double to left field in the fifth.
Clark's impact went beyond the double. His third-inning bunt resulted in an error by Max Muncy, putting two Tigers aboard before Torres drove a ground-rule double to right-center that scored Báez and gave Detroit a 1-0 lead. Blake Snell made sure the Tigers could not build on it.
The Dodgers left-hander struck out 10 over five innings, allowing only one run on three hits. Detroit repeatedly had trouble converting opportunities against him, including Clark's fifth-inning double, which was stranded after Snell struck out Torres and Dingler around a Hao-Yu Lee popup and McGonigle walk. Montero was nearly as effective on the other side.
The right-hander held Los Angeles scoreless through five innings before the Dodgers finally got to him in the sixth. Alek Thomas doubled to begin the inning, moved to third on an Ohtani groundout and scored when Freddie Freeman singled into right field.
Montero left after Mookie Betts followed with another single. His final line was 5 1/3 innings, five hits and one earned run.
Tyler Holton prevented the inning from becoming something much larger. After walking Muncy to load the bases, Holton induced Tommy Edman into a 6-4-3 double play to preserve the 1-1 tie.
Then came one of Detroit's more encouraging developments of the afternoon.
Andrew Sears entered in the seventh for just his second major league appearance after making his debut last weekend in Kansas City. Kyle Tucker greeted Sears with a leadoff double, immediately putting the rookie left-hander in trouble against a dangerous Dodgers lineup.Sears did not allow him to score, following his script in the minors where he was really good when runners were on base.
He retired Teoscar Hernández on a fly ball, struck out Enrique Hernández and got Miguel Rojas to fly out to end the inning. Sears then faced the top of the Dodgers order in the eighth and retired Ohtani, Freeman and Betts in order.
Sears ultimately worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out one. After Edman singled with one out in the ninth, Sears got Tucker to ground into a force play before A.J. Hinch went to Kenley Jansen for the final out. Jansen retired Teoscar Hernández on a deep fly ball that Báez ran down in left field.
Saturday ultimately belonged to McGonigle.
The Tigers have spent much of this season watching their younger players move from prospects into increasingly important major league roles. Against a Dodgers club filled with established stars, and a relentless bullpen. Clark doubled and executed the ninth-inning sacrifice, Lee reached base and McGonigle was standing at the plate when Detroit needed one more hit.
Friday, that hit never arrived.
Saturday, McGonigle provided it.
