One stinkin’ swing.
The San Diego Padres beat the Detroit Tigers because of one swing on Tuesday night at Comerica Park, 2-0.
Elías Díaz, the Padres No. 7 hitter, was at the plate, facing Jack Flaherty in the second inning. It was a 2-2 count and Flaherty threw a knuckle curve that crossed the plate on the lower rail. But Díaz hit the ball to left field with a 101.5 mph exit velocity, which wasn’t even one of the top three hardest-hit balls in this game. The ball travelled 352 feet, not even one of the top two distances in this game.
But it was in the right place for the Padres, just out of reach of Riley Greene, as the ball crept over the fence for a two-run homer. That was all the Padres needed on a night the Tigers couldn’t get anything going against San Diego starter Nick Pivetta, who allowed only two hits through seven innings.
Flaherty threw six innings, striking out nine, didn’t walk anybody but gave up five hits. One big one. The homer.
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Chase Lee’s debut
The Tigers called up right-handed reliever Chase Lee on Tuesday and he made his Major League debut in the eighth inning.
Lee entered the game with one out and a runner on first and got Manny Machado to hit a soft line drive toward the mound. Lee snagged it for the out and flicked it to first for the force out of Fernando Tatis Jr., ending the inning.
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“First time in Detroit,” he said before the game. “It’s been great. This is a beautiful facility. I haven’t been outside yet, so I’m excited to get outside and kind of look around. I’ve heard it’s a big park. But just excited.”
Lee got into trouble in the ninth when the Padres put two guys on with one out. Díaz hit a ball to left, but Greene came flying up and caught it with a beautiful dive. After walking the bases loaded, Mason McCoy struck out to end the threat.
Getting Justyn-Henry Malloy going
Justyn-Henry Malloy went into Tuesday’s game struggling through a 1-for-15 funk. “Been trying to get J-Hen going,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before the game. “The quality at bat that comes with him, looking at the long haul, we need J-Hen to get back to being that contributor, getting on base.”
In the second inning, he lined out to center.
Then, he singled to left in the fourth – one of only two off Pivetta.
Jace Jung’s defense
Jace Jung is known for his bat, not his glove. But he has looked impressive in his two games at third base.
In the second inning, Xander Bogaerts hit a screamer to third base. Jung made a fantastic diving play, came up with it, fired to first and the ball bounced, but Spencer Torkelson couldn’t come up with it.
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It was ruled a hit.
“He’s got an edge to him,” Hinch said Monday night. “When he got up here, we asked him just to be yourself and attack the game.”
That’s what he did on Monday, not to mention on Tuesday, especially on defense.
“You don’t want him trying to do too much,” Hinch said. “You don’t want him to try to make up for not making this team on Day 1. You just want him to contribute to a win.”
He did it on Monday. But the Tigers couldn’t get that win on Tuesday. “There’s going to be other days the bats going to going to carry his day,” Hinch said.
The unlikely leadoff hitter
Why did Hinch put Kerry Carpenter in the leadoff spot? Because it creates an early decision point for the opposing manager.
“Listen, I don’t feel very good when (Shohei) Ohtani leads off for the Dodgers,” Hinch said. “Or I don’t feel very good when to (Fernando) Tatis Jr. comes up. I don’t think he’s trying to draw a walk. I don’t think he’s trying to work a ball the other way, I don’t really think he’s trying to be what traditionally we have thought. They’re the biggest threat, and so is Carp.”
So, Hinch put him at leadoff. “It creates pressure points for them,” Hinch said.
Carpenter started the game going 0-for-4. He showed no effects of his hamstring soreness. “It was a little something, but not too bad,” Carpenter said. “It was definitely a blessing.”
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Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on X @seideljeff
Next up: Padres
Matchup: Tigers (14-10) vs. San Diego (17-7).
Time: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday; Comerica Park, Detroit.
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit; WXYT-FM (97.1).
Probable pitchers: Tigers – RHP Reese Olson (2-1, 4.50 ERA); Padres – LHP Kyle Hart (2-1, 6.48 ERA).
