Spencer Torkelson’s near-cycle fueled a dominant lead before a late five-run Pirates surge forced Kenley Jansen to lock down his 498th career save in a gritty thriller.
What looked like a comfortable night for the Detroit Tigers turned into something much tighter by the eighth inning, which has been the norm all season, however, Detroit held on for an 8-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night at Comerica Park.
The Tigers erased an early 2-0 deficit by scoring six runs across the second and third innings, then added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh. That insurance turned out to be necessary when Pittsburgh scored five times in the eighth to make it a one-run game.
Spencer Torkelson supplied most of Detroit’s extra-base damage and finished a single short of the cycle. He tied the game in the second inning with a two-run triple to right field, doubled in the fifth and homered to left-center in the seventh. That was his 26th on the season.
Detroit took control of the game in the third. Kevin McGonigle walked, Eduardo Valencia singled and Riley Greene walked to load the bases before Dillon Dingler lined a two-run single into left field. The inning continued when Torkelson struck out on a wild pitch from Bubba Chandler, allowing two more runs to score and pushing the Tigers ahead 6-2.
Valencia also quietly had one of the better nights in the lineup. He reached base five times with a single, double and three walks and scored three runs. His sixth-inning walk eventually became Detroit’s seventh run after Dingler reached on a fielder’s choice and Pittsburgh committed an error.
For seven innings, the Tigers had the game under control. Jackson Jobe allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight and Drew Sommers followed him with a pair of strikeouts before Andrew Sears worked a clean seventh before things got crazy in the 8th.
Sears hit Konnor Griffin to begin the inning before inducing a double play, but Pittsburgh then put together five consecutive baserunners with two outs. Nick Gonzales and Ryan O’Hearn each delivered RBI singles before Rafael Flores Jr. hit a three-run homer to center field, cutting Detroit’s lead from six runs to one. Tyler Holton finally ended the inning by getting Jared Triolo to ground out.
Kenley Jansen handled the ninth without extending the suspense. He retired Jake Mangum on a ground ball before striking out Griffin and Brandon Lowe to close out the win for save number 498.
Detroit improved to 75-85 with the victory, while Pittsburgh fell to 81-79.
