DETROIT — Keider Montero expended 48 pitches in his first two innings Wednesday at Comerica Park. The taxing workload was worrisome for a pitcher who only 15 days ago twirled a complete game in 96-pitch, economical fashion. But for so long now, the Detroit Tigers have been beyond reproach.
Hits fall when they need them. When they are in the field, batted balls go straight to leather when it matters most. So here the Tigers were again, runners on first and second with only one out in the first inning.
That’s when Montero struck out Jonathan Aranda , then got Johnny DeLuca to fly out to right field. In the second inning, the Tampa Bay Rays loaded the bases. Montero again escaped the jam.
Since Aug. 1, opponents entered play having hit only .213 against the Tigers with runners in scoring position, the lowest mark in the league.
Houdini had nothing on this team. Advertisement In the bottom of the first inning, Zack Littell threw a center-cut slider to Parker Meadows , the rangy center fielder who has been the most dynamic player over a magical six weeks of baseball. Meadows dropped his bat’s barrel to the ball and sent the sphere buzzing, on a line and out of the park.
There were still empty seats on a cloudy day at Comerica Park. Some of the crowd was still filing in. But fans in the 25-year-old stadium let loose a trembling roar, the type this ground between Montcalm and Witherell has rarely felt for the better part of a decade.
The @Tigers are on the board right away aft.