Detroit Tigers Stimied by Rich Hill, Oakland A’s 5-1

The Detroit Tigers were shut down by the Oakland A’s 5-1 in the second game of their four game series.

The story of this game was Rich Hill, a lefty without a power arm who shut down the Tigers’ offense. He finished with a line of 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K. The Tigers offense went silent mustering only 6 hits. The Tigers only had runners in scoring position in the first and ninth innings: the only innings with multiple hits.

Mike Pelfrey got the start for the Tigers and looked to fix some of his control issues. He did not walk a batter through his 6.2 innings of work, but two bad innings marred an otherwise solid start. He ended the night with a line of 6.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.

The A’s got the scoring started in the top of the fourth. Josh Reddick led the inning off with a double and came around to score on a Jed Lowrie single that bounced off of the glove of Jose Iglesias as he was going to his backhand. Steven Vogt then hit a flare double to left field to put runners on second and third.

Coco Crisp then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Lowrie. The Tigers had a chance to double Vogt off of third, but Nick Castellanos dropped the relay and Vogt moved to third. Khris Davis then singled to bring home Vogt and give the A’s the 3-0 lead.

After two strong innings of work, the bottom of the A’s lineup got to Pelfrey the third time through the order. Yonder Alonso hit a two out single and Marcus Simien hit a two run home run to give the A’s the 5-0 lead. Billy Burns then hit an infield single to end Pelfrey’s night. 

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In the bottom of the ninth, Ian Kinsler led off with a single. After a scorching lineout by Justin Upton and a Miguel Cabrera strikeout, Victor Martinez hit a double deep to center field to cut the deficit to 5-1. J.D. Martinez then grounded out to close out the game.

The game was a sorry showing on offense. No player has yet been able to offer any support for Mike Pelfrey. While Pelfrey’s pitching was better than the last two outings, it almost seems as if the players are out to get him. At some point, someone, anyone who is wearing a Tigers uniform has to score a run while he is on the mound. A pitcher cannot do it alone.

Next: Ausmus Has No Control

These two teams will face off once again Wednesday night at 7:10 in a battle of the aces. Justin Verlander will look to get back on tract against Sonny Gray in a former must see playoff matchup.