Detroit Tigers Fall 5-2 to Cincinnati Reds

Jun 16, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (4) leaps over Detroit Tigers designated hitter Tyler Collins (18) as he slides into second after making a throw to first to complete a double play in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Tigers fell to the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 in the second game and final home game for the Tigers in their 4-game home-and-home series. Home runs were the story of the game for the Reds as the Tigers wasted their best chance of the game to break through against Reds’ starter Michael Lorenzen.

The Tigers struck first in this one. After Ryan shut down the Reds in the top half of the first, Anthony Gose led off with a double over third base. Ian Kinsler then his a deep fly ball to right-center after a 9-pitch battle to move Gose to third. Miguel Cabrera then brought Gose home with a groundball through the right side of an over-shifted infield.

The Reds got on the board in the fifth. Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce, two of the major three major power threats in the Cincinnati lineup, hit back-to-back home runs to give the Reds the 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers tied the game, but could have done much more damage. James McCann led the inning off with a single and was bunted up to second by Jose Iglesias. Gose reached and advanced on an error by left filder Ivan DeJesus Jr., moving McCann to third. Kinsler popped out and Cabrera was intentionally walked. Yoenes Cespedes then hit a ball off of the pitcher that bounced into foul territory. Cespedes reached and McCann scored, but Gose was thrown out at the plate to end the inning at 2-2. The Tigers gave away 2 outs in the inning on the bunt and on the play at home, which could have been the difference in this game.

The Tigers sent Kyle Ryan to the mound in the 7^th, but he did not finish the inning. Frazier hit his second home run of the day, this one into the second set of bushes out in center field. Jay Bruce walked and Bryan Pena bunted him to second to end Ryan’s night. He finished with a line of 6.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He wasn’t bad, but the home runs killed him tonight.

Alex Wilson then entered the game. He induced a weak groundball from Chris Dominguez which moved Bruce to third. Billy Hamilton then singled him home to give the Reds the 4-2 lead. Hamilton was then thrown out stealing by McCann to end the inning.

In the top of the 9^th, Joba Chamberlain had more bad luck than he’s had all season. Dominguez doubled on a ball that hit the third base bag. Billy Hamilton then reached on a fielder’s choice where Iglesias threw the ball to third and committed an error to score the 5^th run of the game. Chamberlain got out of the inning by picking Hamilton off of second and throwing out Kristopher Negron on an attempted bunt.

These two teams will face off once again Wednesday night at 7:10, but at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati in a battle of the aces. David Price (6-2, 2.44 ERA) will take the mound against Johnny Cueto (4-4, 2.85 ERA). The Tigers scouted Cueto in his last start for a possible trade; now they will get a firsthand look at the Reds’ ace.