The Tigers managed to put a couple of runs on the board, but not enough to overcome Jose Valverde. Handed a two-run lead with three outs to go, he gave it back in three hitters before allowing the A's to stave off elimination, 4-3.
Mashed Potato.
Max Scherzer and four Tigers relievers combined to allow a run across eight innings, striking out 11 and allowing four hits. Valverde gave up four hits in less than one.
Runs were at a premium for a Tigers team that was shut out a day earlier. Two of the three runs were manufactured after bunts, with Austin Jackson and Avisail Garcia picking up the tallies with RBI singles. Another run came on a laser shot off the bat of Prince Fielder. Fielder and Andy Dirks were the only Tigers to have multi-hit days. Interestingly, possibly unsurprisingly, the Tigers took no walks.
Justin Verlander will take the mound Thursday for the Tigers. A complete game would be nice, maybe a shutout. Game time is 9:37 p.m. ET.