DETROIT — There were fireworks at Comerica Park Friday night. But they ignited well after the Tigers fizzled, losing to the Royals, 3-1.
Frustrating night.
Javier Baez, who struck out with a runner at second and nobody out in the fourth, came to bat with two on and nobody out in the sixth against right-hander Brad Keller. He got a hanging slider on the first pitch but missed it, fouled it back.
He shook his head, said something to catcher MJ Melendez and slammed his bat on the ground. You don't get many cookies in this game. Can't miss them.
Next pitch, Baez hoisted a weak fly ball to center. The rally died there, as Keller struck out Miguel Cabrera and got Harold Castro to line to shortstop.
The Tigers put the first two runners on in the seventh inning, too. Keller, fading, walked Robbie Grossman and then beaned Spencer Torkelson in the side of the head with an 88-mph change-up. The ear flap on his helmet seemed to absorb much of the contact.
Torkelson wanted to stay in the game but he was taken out.
For the third time in the game they had a runner at second base with no outs. And for the third time they failed to advance him.
Right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke got Jonathan Schoop to pop out to second. Pinch-hitter Victor Reyes tapped back to the pitcher and Riley Greene, hitting leadoff for the Tigers, struck out on swinging through three change-ups.
The Tigers were 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Baez, Cabrera and Harold Castro — Nos. 3-4-5 in the order — combined for nine of those outs, three each.
They avoided their 11th shutout in the ninth, Eric Haase plating Jeimer Candelario with a sacrifice fly.
The Tigers had the tying runs on the bases with two outs, but Royals right-hander Scott Barlow got Willi Castro to ground out to end the game.
Veteran right-hander Michael Pineda cruised through the first two innings in 19 pitches. Encouraging considering it was his first start since May 15, spending six weeks mending a broken finger on his pitching hand.
Turns out, the Royals were just measuring him. And when they struck, the struck hard and swift.
A double by Whit Merrifield and a single by Andrew Benintendi drew first blood in the third inning. In the fourth, rookie Vinnie Pasquantino and Hunter Dozier hit back-to-back home runs. It was rookie Pasquantino’s first big league homer and the ball left his bat with an exit velocity of 113 mph.
Pineda gave up four hits with exit velos of 100 mph or better. Four others were hit 95 mph or better. But hard contact aside (18 balls in play with an average exit velo of 92 mph), he completed five innings — something he hadn’t done in his rehab starts.
The Royals didn't scratch against three Tigers relievers — Jason Foley, Tyler Alexander (two innings) and Will Vest.
