The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Series in Detroit starts with Guards losing two
DETROIT » Jonathan Schoop had two singles to close out a six-hit day, Eric Haase had his sixth home run and Tyler Alexander pitched threeplus scoreless innings of relief to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 win in the second game July 4 for a sweep of the day-night doubleheader against the Guardians.
Schoop, who entered the day hitting .191, had four singles in four at-bats and scored two runs in a 4-1 Tigers win in the opener. He made it six straight with a leadoff double in the third inning of the second game, scored a run and added an RBI single in the fourth.
“He’s had some really good at-bats and I mention his defense again because he made some plays that helped us win on that side, too,” Tiger manager AJ Hinch said of his second baseman. “It is nice to have guys contribute, especially when you get to the top of the order, bottom of the order. We’re a different offense when guys are going, Jonathan included.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve seen that before,” Guardians’
LATE JULY 4 TIGERS 5, GUARDIANS 3
manager Terry Francona said. “That kid when he gets going, that’s the last thing we want right now. He obviously feels really good about himself. Even his out, it was a line out to second. He swung the bat really well.”
Schoop scored from third on a fielder’s choice RBI by Riley Greene for a 1-0 lead in the night game.
In the fourth, Jose Ramirez’s RBI double, Andres Gimenez’s sacrifice fly and Owen Miller’s RBI single gave the Guardians a 3-1 lead.
Tigers starter Alex Faedo was pulled for right hip soreness in the top of the fourth and Alexander (23) took over, pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
“I located the fastball well and I have this new curveball thing that’s proven a lot,” Alexander said. “It’s been my role to bridge the gap between the starter and the backend of the bullpen. I did that, too, with an extra inning. I guess I was efficient. The double plays were huge for me.”
The Tigers scored two unearned in the fourth on RBIs by Schoop and Victor Reyes to tie it 3-3. Riley Greene’s RBI infield single in the sixth put the Tigers ahead and Haase homered in the seventh.
Trevor Stephan (3-3) took the loss for the Guardians. Tigers reliever Joe Jimenez retired the side in the ninth for the save. “I don’t think energy is what cost us the game,” Francona said. “You get challenged over the course of a season. We just didn’t do enough to win. We’re going to need to show up tomorrow and play better. That’s how we do it.” In the opener, Garrett Hill won his major league debut by pitching six impressive innings and Miguel Cabrera delivered a key two-run single.
Hill is the first Tiger pitcher to have allowed two or fewer hits in his MLB debut in six innings or more.
“I’ve tried to get to this level and live out my dream,” Hill said.
“I was pleased with all of it. I was able to stay super calm. I was happy with my preparation and everything.”
Cleveland starter Zach Plesac (2-6) went six innings and suffered the loss.