The Tigers opened their four-game set in Chicago with a flat finish and a 3-1 loss to the White Sox, a game that turned on one big swing early and a missed chance late.
Framber Valdez got the start for Detroit against Erick Fedde, and the Tigers never really found clean footing. They were blanked in the first, then watched the White Sox jump ahead when Chase Meidroth singled, Tommy Pham walked, and Munetaka Murakami launched a three-run homer with two outs. That was the difference-maker right there, and Detroit spent the rest of the night trying to climb back.
The Tigers did scratch across a run in the third. Max Clark was hit by a pitch to start the inning, John Peck singled, and Kevin McGonigle worked a walk to load the bases.
Gleyber Torres then grounded into a force out that brought Clark home and cut the deficit to 3-1. But that was as close as Detroit would get.
From there, the Tigers kept putting men on without delivering the knockout punch. Riley Greene singled and Spencer Torkelson walked in the fourth, but the inning died with two runners still aboard.
In the fifth, Torres singled with two outs and Dingler doubled to put a pair in scoring position, only for Bryan Hudson to come in and shut the door by retiring Greene. Detroit got another baserunner in the sixth when Torkelson singled, but Randal Grichuk made the play that erased him at second, and the inning moved on in a hurry.
Valdez’s night ended after five innings. He allowed three hits and three runs, all earned, while walking four and striking out eight on 90 pitches.
For a pitcher whose game is usually built around contact, the strikeout total stood out. It was still a workable outing, just one with enough traffic and enough frustration to leave the Tigers chasing the scoreboard.
The bullpen mostly kept Detroit in it. Jacob Waguespack, Ty Madden and the rest of the staff kept the White Sox from adding much after the third, even as Chicago had chances.
Brenton Doyle singled and stole second in the sixth, then Jordan Hicks came in for the seventh and had trouble finding the zone before Grant Taylor finished the frame. Ty Madden then handled the bottom of the seventh cleanly, including a memorable juggling catch from Javy Baez.
Detroit’s best shot at a late rally came in the eighth and ninth, but the White Sox kept making the right play. Brett Callahan walked in the eighth, Max Clark singled, and a tense sequence ended with Callahan out at third after a challenge. Murakami later tripled with one out in the bottom half, but Chicago couldn’t tack on.
In the ninth, Colt Keith pinch-hit for Baez and worked his way on after two ABS challenges, losing the first and winning the second on a full count for the walk. McGonigle followed with a single, but the inning quickly unraveled when Acuna threw to first instead of trying for an out at second, and Torres grounded into a double play to end it.
Detroit’s offense had chances, but the White Sox got the early burst they needed and protected it the rest of the way.
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For Tigers fans, that would turn the clubs last series against Pittsburgh into more than just a late-season matchup. Detroit is planning to celebrate Verlanders career during that homestand, giving the organization a chance to salute one of its defining pitchers while leaving open the possibility of one more moment on the mound in front of the home crowd. [Read more 🡒]