Tigers Bullpen Collapses in 4-3 Loss to Pittsburgh

The Detroit Tigers had a lead for most of the game but dropped Game 3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth inning following another bullpen collapse. Detroit falls to 61-66 on the season, and it feels like Wednesday’s loss may have sucked all the air remaining out of the balloon for the Tigers.

The Tigers lead MLB in starting pitching ERA, yet rank toward the bottom of the league in blown losses when leading after seven innings. Wednesday was another notch on that bedpost, as Detroit allowed three home runs over the final three innings and was eventually walked off, dropping the series to Pittsburgh after taking Game 1.

Still, even in the darkest of days and worst losses, we find three stars deserving of a pat on the back from Detroit.

Clark ripped a double down the right-field line and into the corner in the fifth inning. Later in the inning, Clark flew around third and into home to score the second run of the game for Detroit, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

Clark also added a ninth-inning single.

With two on and one out in the first inning, Jobe dialed it up to 100 and struck out the second out of the inning. However, the Pirates were able to push across a run when Oneil Cruz’s ball went over McGonigle’s head.

The Pirates took an early 1-0 lead, doing what Detroit couldn’t do in the first inning: take advantage of the ducks on the pond.

But things slowed down for Jobe as he started to run through the Pirates, allowing just one run and two walks over the next 4.1 innings. He finished the day with 5.1 innings pitched, four hits, three walks, one earned run and three strikeouts.

McGonigle hit a sacrifice fly in the third inning for an RBI to tie the game at 1-1.

His second RBI came on a masterclass hit for a double into the right-field gap that scored Lee from second base, although Torres was gunned down at the plate. Still, McGonigle’s second RBI gave Detroit a 3-1 lead through three innings.

Skenes was chased after the Torres single, and Gregory Soto came in for relief for Pittsburgh. His first pitch was a sinker, and it was greeted with the barrel of McGonigle’s bat.

Colt Keith: Led off with a walk in the first inning and added a third-inning single. He hit into a force out in the seventh but was able to move up to second base on an error on the throw from second to first.

Gleyber Torres: Walked in the first inning before adding a soft bloop single over the second baseman’s head to score Clark from second base for a big RBI. However, a common theme as of late continued, as Torres was gunned down on the basepaths after McGonigle doubled into the right-field gap.

Dillon Dingler: Struck out in the first inning and finished 0-for-4.

Hao-Yu Lee: Singled in the third inning. After a single from Keith, Lee stretched his baserunning and went from corner to corner, which paid off when McGonigle brought him home with a sacrifice fly. Lee also walked in the fifth and seventh innings, with his fifth-inning walk eventually turning into a run.

Zach McKinstry: Walked in the second inning and added a ninth-inning single.

The Tigers had opportunities early. In the first inning, two walks to start the game against one of the best pitchers in baseball, Paul Skenes, gave Detroit some early excitement. However, a groundout by McGonigle, a strikeout from Dingler and a popout from Brett Callahan quickly got Pittsburgh out of the jam.

In the third inning, consecutive singles from Lee and Keith put runners on the corners with no outs. Torres then struck out swinging, but McGonigle drove Lee home with a sacrifice fly.

In the fifth, a double and a walk gave Detroit two runners on with no outs yet again. A Keith strikeout made fans nervous, but Torres came through with a single to score Clark, chasing Skenes before he could get through five innings.

The Tigers bullpen has been one of the worst in MLB all year long, and it didn’t stop Wednesday afternoon.

With a 3-1 lead, A.J. Hinch called on Jacob Waguespack, who allowed a solo home run to Rafael Flores to cut the lead in half.

Then Kyle Finnegan came in as the setup man in the eighth inning. After getting the first two hitters out, Finnegan walked two consecutive batters. He was able to get the final out, and Detroit escaped to the ninth inning with a one-run lead.

Just when the Tigers were two outs away from winning the game, Kenley Jansen lobbed a pitch right down the middle for Flores, again, to smash over the fence and tie the game at 3-3.

After one more out, Jansen proceeded to give up the game-winning home run to Brandon Lowe.

Another lead. Another bullpen collapse. Another brutal loss for Detroit.