Tigers 7-4 Rockies (September 11, 2024) Match Report

DETROIT – Kerry Carpenter hit a career-high four hits and the Detroit Tigers stayed in the race for an AL wild card with a 7-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.

“We have a lot of guys who can do it, and right now we're doing well,” Carpenter said. “When we're at our best, we can do anything.”

Carpenter needed a home run to cycle in the seventh inning – the first for a Tigers player since Carlos Guillen in 2006 – but hit an infield single.

“I was aware of it,” Carpenter said. “I was hoping to get a pitch that would allow me to do some damage, but that didn't happen.”

Tigers starter Casey Mize allowed four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings and had seven strikeouts without allowing a single batter to walk.

Tyler Holton (6-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings in relief and Jason Foley picked up his 22nd save with a scoreless ninth inning.

“I like to bring Tyler Holton in every game,” said Tigers manager AJ Hinch.

Holton has a 2.23 ERA and works in a role that includes everything from opener to closer.

Tanner Gordon (0-6) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. In his last two starts, the rookie has allowed 12 runs and 18 hits in four innings.

“He was ahead of a lot of other guys, but he couldn't hold them off,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “This is a rookie pitcher and rookie catcher, so it's going to be a tough school for him at times, but it's a lesson.”

“Tanner is learning a lot.”

Riley Greene and Trey Sweeney hit home runs for Detroit (75-71), which improved its record to 20-8 since Aug. 11. The Tigers are three games behind Minnesota in the battle for the final wild card in the American League after both teams won on Wednesday.

“It's definitely exciting this time of year,” Holton said. “Last year was different.”

The 2023 Tigers finished second in the AL Central – they are currently fourth – but their 78-84 record eliminated them from the wild card race.

One night after beating the Rockies 11-0, the Tigers got off to another flying start with six runs in the first inning. Greene hit his 21st home run, Carpenter had an RBI triple to score, and Sweeney hit a three-run home run.

Ryan McMahon opened the second with a home run to put the Rockies on the scoreboard, but Greene increased the lead to 7-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Colorado caught up with three runs in the fifth inning.

Jake Cave and Nolan Jones started the inning with singles, and after Mize retired the next two batters, Ezequiel Tovar hit a two-run double to right-center field. Brenton Doyle followed with an RBI single to make it 7-4 and Holton came out of the Tigers' bullpen.

“I definitely started better than I finished,” Mize said. “The important thing is that we won.”

Doyle stole second base, but Greene caught McMahon's foul fly to left and threw it over the railing into the crowd.

Holton, Will Vest and Foley finished the game with 4 1/3 shutout innings.

“Our bullpen kept four clean sheets and kept us in the game,” Black said. “We just couldn't get past their guys.”

TRAINING ROOM

Tigers: RHP Reese Olson, who has been on the injured list since July 21 with a shoulder injury, is expected to play in the bullpen on Thursday. After that, the team will decide its next steps. Shortstop Javier Báez, who had season-ending hip surgery last week, walked to the outfield with a cane to take a team photo before the game.

Next

The teams finish the three-game series on Thursday afternoon with Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (16-4, 2.53 ERA) and RHP Ryan Feltner (2-10, 4.96).

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