Dominant pitching and Hao-Yu Lee’s clutch extra-inning hit secured a record-setting seventh straight road series win, thrusting Detroit back into the American League postseason conversation.
The Detroit Tigers did not need eight runs on Sunday. They just needed their pitching to keep them around long enough for the offense to find something.
For the second straight day in San Francisco, Detroit received exactly that.
Troy Melton followed Jackson Jobe’s impressive return Saturday with another strong outing, and Hao-Yu Lee delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the 10th inning as the Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants, 3-1, Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park, setting a team record with seven straight road series wins.
The win gave Detroit the series and completed an impressive 7-2 road trip through West Sacramento, Seattle and San Francisco. The Tigers improved to 58-60 and have suddenly worked their way back into the American League postseason conversation.
But once again, the biggest takeaway was the starting pitching.
A day after Jobe returned from Tommy John surgery and allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings in Detroit’s 8-0 win, Melton continued what has become one of the better stories of the Tigers’ season.
Melton went six-plus innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run while walking one and striking out five. He threw 60 of his 92 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.46.
It was not a dominant swing-and-miss outing, but Melton continued to do what he has done throughout this stretch. He threw strikes, limited hard damage and worked out of trouble, including getting some clutch defense from Zach McKinstry.
His biggest test came in the fourth inning when Willy Adames and Rafael Devers opened the inning with consecutive singles. Melton responded by striking out Osleivis Basabe before Drew Gilbert flied out to McKinstry in right field. McKinstry threw Adames out at the plate to complete the inning-ending double play and keep the game scoreless. Against Giants starter Logan Webb, Detroit was having just as much trouble.
The Tigers finally scratched across a run in the sixth. McKinstry and Kevin McGonigle opened the inning with consecutive singles before Gleyber Torres grounded into a double play, allowing McKinstry to score from third. It was not much offense, but with the way Melton was pitching, it looked like it might be enough.
San Francisco tied the game in the seventh after Melton allowed a leadoff single to Devers and was replaced by Kyle Finnegan. Basabe reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and moved to third on Eduardo Valencia’s throwing error before Gilbert drove him home with an infield single. The run was charged to Melton but was unearned.
Detroit's bullpen made sure that was all San Francisco would get. Drew Sommers escaped a bases-loaded situation in the eighth when Devers grounded into an inning-ending double play. Kenley Jansen then struck out the side in the ninth on 15 pitches.
That gave the Tigers another chance in extras.
With Riley Greene beginning the 10th at second base, Lee pinch-hit for Colt Keith and immediately delivered, lining a single into right field to score Greene and put Detroit ahead 2-1.
Spencer Torkelson followed with his second hit of the afternoon, moving Lee to third, and Max Clark brought home the insurance run with a fielder’s choice to make it 3-1.
Tyler Holton took it from there.
Holton struck out Buddy Kennedy, Christian Koss and Bryce Eldridge in succession, needing just 12 pitches to strike out the side and earn his second save. Combined with Jansen, Detroit relievers struck out all six batters they faced over the final two innings.
It was not an offensive showcase. Detroit finished with only six hits and Webb limited the Tigers to one run over eight innings. But the Tigers did enough.
More importantly, they again received exactly what they needed from their pitching staff.
Jobe gave Detroit five scoreless innings Saturday.
Melton followed with six-plus innings and no earned runs Sunday.
For a Tigers club trying to make its way back into the playoff race after dramatically reshaping the roster at the trade deadline, those back-to-back performances might have been the most encouraging part of a 7-2 trip. Detroit comes home at 58-60.
And suddenly, there is still something to play for as they leapfrogged Cleveland to land into second place, as the Guardians come to town starting on Tuesday. Detroit is 0-6 against them this season. Time to change that.
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