Detroit Tigers: Ninth consecutive loss comes in heartbreaking fashion

A five-run ninth inning for the Miami Marlins led them to a comeback 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon, giving Detroit its ninth consecutive loss.

Going into the ninth inning on Thursday, it really seemed as though the Detroit Tigers could get their first win in nearly two weeks. However, the Miami Marlins stormed back in the top of the ninth putting up five runs and giving Tigers closer Shane Greene his first blown save of the year as Miami completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.

Before Greene’s blown save, the Detroit Tigers were having a pretty solid day on the mound. Starter Matthew Boyd looked on top of his game throwing six shutout innings and getting the Tigers out of a couple of jams. Relievers Blaine Hardy and Joe Jiménez stepped in in the seventh and eighth innings respectively and kept the shutout going into the ninth.

Once Greene took over in the ninth, things went downhill fast for Detroit. Harold Ramírez scored on an RBI single from Neil Walker to give Miami its first run of the game. Then, on a ground ball from Miami’s Miguel Rojas, Ronny Rodríguez bobbled the ball and blew a chance at a double play that would have won the Tigers the game.

After the fielder’s choice that could have been a double play, with two outs in the top of the ninth, the Marlins’ Garrett Cooper dealt the death blow to Detroit. With the bases loaded after an intentional walk of Curtis Granderson, Cooper launched a deep grand slam to left field giving Miami a 5-2 lead and sinking the hopes of Tigers fans everywhere that the losing streak might be over.

Rodríguez’s missed chance at a double play was just one of a few fielding mishaps for the Tigers on Thursday. Despite losing in terrible fashion, most of Thursday went at least somewhat right for Detroit.

Miguel Cabrera was 2-3 at the plate and knocked in the Tigers’ second run of the day in the bottom of the eighth that seemed to be a much-needed insurance run at the time. Nicholas Castellanos was strong in the batter’s box as well notching his fourth three-hit game of the season.

Just when it seemed like things might finally be going right for the Detroit Tigers for the first time in seemingly forever, Detroit fans had to have their hearts ripped out once again. Strong pitching allowed the offense to get into a slim lead, and then it all came crashing down. But hey, it just seems like typical Tigers at this point.