Jacob Stallings' RBI double in the ninth helps Rockies beat Tigers 4-2
DETROIT (AP) — Jacob Stallings’ RBI double in the ninth inning helped the Colorado Rockies beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Thursday.
“This is the end of an 11-day road trip and all nine games were against teams in the playoffs or fighting for wild-card spots and we held our own,” Stallings said. “Today we knew we were facing the guy who is going to win the AL Cy Young, but I felt good about it.”
The Tigers began the day three games behind the Minnesota Twins for the third American League wild-card spot and ace Tarik Skubal on the mound.
With the score tied at 2, Brendan Rodgers led off the ninth with a single off Jason Foley (3-6) and took second on a passed ball. Stallings hit a flare into right field that got past Matt Vierling, allowing Stallings to take second.
Pinch-runner Nolan Jones moved to third on a groundout and Jake Cave made it 4-2 with a long sacrifice fly.
Tyler Kinley pitched the ninth inning, retiring Zach McKinstry with runners at the corners for his 12th save.
“That's a really, really good win on the road against a team that has been rolling since August,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Skubal is going to win the American League Cy Young Award, but we had some good at-bats against him.”
Skubal pitched six innings, giving up one run on four hits. He struck out six without a walk, but the Tigers struggled offensively.
“We didn't get untracked at all, and a lot of that came from (Ryan) Feltner being really good,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He got leverage and we didn't really square him up.”
The Tigers got a scare when Skubal was hit in the right (non-pitching) hand by Brenton Doyle’s line drive in the sixth inning. Skubal caught the deflection with his pitching hand, but spent several minutes with the Tigers training staff before staying in the game.
The next hitter, Ryan McMahon, hit a bouncer back to the mound. Skubal made the play without apparent difficulty, but left after the inning.
Hinch said X-rays were negative but Skubal would have more tests on the hand.
“It's a little sore, but I'm not worried about it,” Skubal said.
Feltner allowed two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
“I thought he was phenomenal today,” said Stallings, who caught the first eight innings. “And then the young guys came out of the bullpen and they were incredible.”
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead on Jordan Beck’s third-inning homer, but Spencer Torkelson put the Tigers ahead with a two-run double in the fourth.
Black was ejected by home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez after Torkelson’s at-bat, apparently for arguing balls and strikes. Torkelson took a pair of two-strike pitches at the edge of the zone before doubling on the seventh pitch of the at-bat.
Ezequiel Tovar nearly put the Rockies ahead in the fifth, but Riley Greene made a leaping catch at the wall to take away a two-run home run.
Colorado had runners on second and third in the seventh. Brenan Hanifee struck out Beck, but Charlie Blackmon tied the game with a pinch-hit infield single off Sean Guenther.
Seth Halvorsen (1-0) picked up his first major-league win with a scoreless eighth. The Tigers didn't get a hit after Torkelson's RBI double until he singled with two out in the ninth.
“Losing sucks,” Torkelson said. “They beat us and now we've got to come back tomorrow ready to go.”
UP NEXT
Rockies: Return home after a nine-game, 11-day road trip to start a three-game home series with the Chicago Cubs. RHP Javier Assad (7-5, 3.14) is scheduled to start for the Cubs on Friday. The Rockies have not announced their starter.
Tigers: Host the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game series. RHP Zach Elfin (10-8, 3.65) is scheduled to start Friday against the Tigers.
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