Three of the four run producers were kids
Kevin McGonigle’s two-run shot in the second was his 13th of the year. He is one of the young bats Detroit has been leaning on all season, and so were two of the other three Tigers who drove in runs at PNC Park last night, in an 8-5 win that drops Detroit back into a three-way tie for the last American League wild card.
The game was mostly decided before it was half over. Zach McKinstry opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first. McGonigle went deep in the second for 4-0. Detroit kept adding until the board read 8-1.
Brett Callahan and Hao-Yu Lee each knocked in two. For a club that built this run out of its own farm system instead of the free-agent market, that stat line is the whole thesis in one night.
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Valdez got through five and two-thirds, and that was plenty
Framber Valdez was fine. Four runs, five hits, five strikeouts, four walks. He evens out at 8-8 on the year, which is roughly what the night looked like: enough, not more.
Then came the sixth. Pittsburgh put up four runs and suddenly the lead was three. Detroit never scored again. What looked like a rout at the hour mark turned into something the Tigers had to actually finish.
Kenley Jansen handled the ninth with two strikeouts. Save number 15.
Six weeks to sort out one spot
Three teams, one ticket, and no gap in the calendar. The series picks back up tonight in Pittsburgh.
Last season told everyone what this Detroit roster looks like when the young hitters are on. Whether they can hold that shape into late September is a separate question, and nobody has answered it yet.
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