Overturned play costs Tigers a win

DETROIT — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pirates to a 13-10 victory over the Tigers on Friday — about an hour after Tigers players spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.

Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on.

Polanco’s drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as it could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.

The Tigers put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.

By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, only three umpires and one manager were left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in his first game as Tigers manager — was ejected after arguing about the overturned call in the 10th.

The Tigers’ franchise-record streak of six straight wins in season openers was snapped.

This game was pushed back a day after it was postponed because of rain Thursday. The temperature was 36 degrees at the start.

The Tigers had the bases loaded and nobody out in the first and fifth but failed to score. They took a 2-0 lead in the second when Mikie Mahtook, Jose Iglesias and Dixon Machado hit consecutive doubles.

Francisco Cervelli’s double highlighted a three-run fourth for the Pirates, and Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run double in a four-run seventh for the Tigers.