Tigers take home opener with an 8th inning rally
The Oakland Athletics hit the road for the first time in this 2024 MLB season today as they faced the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Lefty JP Sears took the mound for the A’s. Lefty Tarik Skubal got the start for Detroit. The temperature at first pitch was 43 degrees, and snow started falling in the top of the third. It lasted for half an inning and then the sun snuck out again.
Both starters cruised through the first three innings, each allowing just one base runner and no real threats. Matt Vierling homered to deep left in the top of the fourth to start the scoring. Andy Ibáñez singled on a ground ball to third baseman Darell Hernaiz and advanced to second, on a Hernaiz throwing error. It was the A’s 14th error of the young season. Torkelson then doubled to left, scoring Ibáñez easily. An RBI single by Riley Greene scored Torkelson to bring the score to 3-0.
Zack Gelof doubled with one out to open the sixth inning. With two down, Brent Rooker homered to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of Detroit. It was Rooker’s first homer of the season. Mark Canha extended the lead to 4-2 with a rocket homer to left. After a Gio Urshela double into the gap in center, Kotsay ended Sears’ day. A wild pitch by Sears’ replacement Austin Adams moved Urshela to third. But a strike out of Jake Rogers ended the inning.
Abraham Toro went deep for his first hit of the season. All the left fielder could do was turn and watch as the A’s tightened the score to 4-3. A JJ Bleday walk brought AJ Hinch out to end Skubal’s day. A Ryan Noda pinch hit double moved Bleday to third with just one out. Bleday scored to tie the ballgame when Nick Allen grounded out to second. Gelof walked, bringing up J.D. Davis with two down. But Davis struck out on three pitches to end the threat.
Lucas Erceg entered the game to pitch the eighth inning. Leadoff batter Spencer Torkelson greeted him with a double down the third base line. Riley Greene struck out for the first out of the inning. Canha K’d for the second out. Erceg looked like he might escape the jam, but a double by Urshela brought in the go-ahead run. A Javy Báez flyout ended the inning.
Abraham Toro greeted Andrew Chafin by working a full count walk. Bleday struck out on three pitches. Then Noda, who pinch hit earlier walked to move Toro to second with the tying run. Hinch brought in closer Alex Lange to face Zack Gelof. Gelof struck out to end the game. The final score was 5-4.
