The Detroit Tigers found themselves in a tough spot Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles, and the game started with an unusual and costly mistake. What should have been a routine play turned into a blunder that set the tone for a rough evening. In the first inning, a fly ball that seemed destined for an easy catch dropped right between center fielder Parker Meadows and right fielder Kerry Carpenter. As a result, the Orioles' leadoff hitter, Gunnar Henderson, got a lucky break with a leadoff double. Meadows took full responsibility for the error, saying, "It's on me."
This misstep was just the beginning for the Tigers, who ultimately lost 7-1, snapping their four-game winning streak. The loss came in the first game of a three-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, giving the Orioles back-to-back wins for the first time since their three-game streak earlier in September. The mistake between Meadows and Carpenter proved to be more than just a slip-up; it became the spark for Baltimore's explosive offense.
After the mishap, the Orioles didn’t waste time capitalizing. With two outs in the first inning, Anthony Santander hit a two-run home run off left-hander Tyler Holton, who was serving as an opener for the Tigers. This marked Santander’s 43rd home run of the season, and it traveled a whopping 420 feet to left-center field. But the home run might not have happened if not for the earlier miscommunication between Meadows and Carpenter. Carpenter seemed to call for the ball but backed off too late, and Santander made sure the Tigers paid for it.
Meadows was quick to admit that he misread the situation. "I thought I saw him wave his hands," Meadows said. "But I just have to take charge out there and want every ball." Manager A.J. Hinch also weighed in, explaining the breakdown in communication. "Parker thought that he saw Carp wave him off with his hand, which is the way you call the ball whenever it's really loud, and Carp really never did that."
As for the Tigers, they now find themselves trailing the Minnesota Twins by a game for the third and final American League wild-card spot. Technically, they’re down two games when factoring in the tiebreaker, especially after the Twins pulled off a 12-inning win against the Boston Red Sox. With just eight games left in the regular season, the Tigers need every win they can get if they hope to keep their playoff dreams alive.
Despite the rough start, the Tigers aren’t giving up hope. "Playoff atmosphere, for sure," Meadows said after the game. "They came out swinging. It's a three-game series for a reason, so we're going to come out tomorrow and give it everything we got." The intensity is ramping up, and with such a close race for the postseason, every game feels like it’s do or die for Detroit.
After Holton’s short stint as the opener, right-hander Keider Montero took over in the second inning. Montero, who has started 15 of his 16 MLB appearances, replaced Holton as the bulk reliever and quickly ran into trouble. His first pitch was sent soaring over the center field wall by Colton Cowser for a solo home run, giving the Orioles a 3-0 lead. That was just the beginning of Montero’s struggles, as he surrendered a total of four home runs over the course of the game.
Montero tried to stick to his usual routine, even though he wasn’t starting. "I kept my routine as if I was starting," Montero said, with his comments translated by Carlos Guillén, the Tigers' manager of Spanish communication and broadcasting. "I didn’t change my mindset, my preparation, or my plan on the field. It didn’t affect me at all because I did everything as if I was a starter."
Unfortunately, the results didn’t go in Montero’s favor. After Cowser’s homer, James McCann hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning, and both Cowser and McCann went deep again in the sixth inning, making it a rough night for the 24-year-old pitcher. Montero ended his outing with five runs allowed on seven hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts over 4⅔ innings. Despite his difficulties, he did manage to show off a wicked changeup that had the Orioles swinging and missing.
"The swing and miss, he generated more swing and miss," said Hinch, trying to find a silver lining. "He faced these guys five days ago. He got seven punchouts, only got one last week. I told him on the mound, 'Keep your head high. You're going to get the ball again in five or six days, and you're going to help us win.'"
While the Tigers' pitching was struggling, the Orioles' offense was on fire, launching a season-high five home runs in the game. Altogether, those home runs combined for an impressive 2,060 feet of distance, a feat that underscored just how dominant Baltimore’s bats were on Friday.
On the offensive side for the Tigers, the night wasn’t much better. Facing Corbin Burnes, the former National League Cy Young Award winner, the Tigers couldn't seem to get anything going. Burnes dominated Detroit for the second time in a week, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and three walks. He struck out eight batters over 91 pitches, adding to his impressive 2.95 ERA on the season. Meadows commented on Burnes’ performance, saying, "His arsenal was pretty similar to last time. Finding the edges. He was on."
In both games against Burnes, the Tigers struggled to make good contact, managing only a few base runners. The best chance they had came in the sixth inning when Kerry Carpenter doubled and Matt Vierling walked with two outs. But just when it seemed like Detroit might finally break through, Riley Greene grounded out to end the inning. Another opportunity came in the third inning when Trey Sweeney singled and Meadows walked, but Carpenter grounded out to strand the runners.
The Tigers did manage to avoid a shutout, though. In the ninth inning, Sweeney knocked in a run with an RBI single off Orioles reliever Jacob Webb, preventing a goose egg on the scoreboard.
Even as the game seemed out of reach, Detroit brought in right-handed reliever Kenta Maeda in the sixth inning. While this move signaled a concession on the scoreboard, Maeda impressed with his command. In 2⅓ scoreless innings, Maeda struck out five of the seven batters he faced, throwing 18 of his 23 pitches for strikes. He even came within one pitch of an immaculate inning, striking out the side in the eighth inning on just 10 pitches.
Maeda's performance was a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy night for the Tigers. With a bullpen that had been stretched thin recently, Maeda's effort helped to preserve some arms for the remaining games of the series and the crucial stretch run to end the season.
In the end, this game was a mix of missed opportunities, costly mistakes, and dominant pitching from the Orioles. But the Tigers know they still have more chances ahead as they continue their battle for a wild-card spot. With eight games left, the race is far from over.
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