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Giants 8, Tigers 2: Rick Porcello suffers loss in shortest start of season as Tigers fall back in AL Central

Rick Porcello gave up 10 hits en-route to his shortest outing of the season to take the loss as the offense slumbered at the plate.

By Catherine Slonksnis
Duane Burleson

DETROIT — After four hours, 50 minutes, half of which was due to a rain delay, the Tigers lost 8-2 as Rick Porcello gave up six runs, putting the Tigers in an early hole they could not climb out of. The offense was mostly absent for a third consecutive day but this time there was no explosive comeback waiting for them in the ninth inning.

Even if there wouldn't have been a rain delay, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus would not have sent Rick Porcello out for the fourth inning after Porcello gave up six runs in just three innings. Balls left up in the zone resulted in hits at every turn and aside from a relief appearance in Toronto where Porcello lasted two innings to take the loss during the 19-inning marathon, it was his shortest outing of the season.

"It obviously didn't go well," Porcello said. "Everything I threw up there got whacked. I threw good pitches and they got hit and I threw bad pitches and they got hit. I felt pretty good with my stuff. I had good velocity, and I felt good, but they hit everything."

The bullpen was split between ineffective and lockdown. The first half being responsible for the former, and the remaining two runs were comprised of Evan Reed and Buck Farmer, who pitched two innings apiece. Kyle Ryan and Patrick McCoy got the eighth and ninth innings respectively, giving up just one hit and two walks with a strikeout each.

The Tigers weren't shut out thanks to some fielding mistakes by the Giants. They gifted the silent Tigers with two unearned runs in the fifth inning, but that was all. In the last couple of days, the offense had woken when needed most, but for the most part their bats have run cold.

The loss puts the Tigers two games behind the Royals, who won 1-0 against the Yankees. They also fall a half-game out of the second wildcard spot as the Mariners beat the Rangers 7-5 and start a nine-game homestand with a loss.

ROARS:

Miguel Cabrera: Had two hits, one in the first and one in the fourth. Both which were singles but Cabrera was one of two Tigers to record multiple hits. He finished 2-4 for the night.

Ian Kinsler: The only other Tiger with multiple hits. He had an RBI single in the sixth and a leadoff single in the eighth. He finished 2-4 for the night.

Kyle Ryan/Patrick McCoy: Ryan pitched a scoreless inning, allowing just one hit while striking out one. McCoy walked two but he didn't allow a hit and struck out one.

Tigers fans: For staying up and with it for the duration of this game and the delay. You deserve a huge roar.

Tigers PR: Badly needed as the rain delay wore on, the Tigers PR had pizza delivered to the press box and several hungry beat writers, including yours truly, kept chugging along.

Tigers grounds crew: Good luck finding a better crew to batten down the hatches when gale-force winds and sheet-like rain hit suddenly. Despite suffering injuries to their own team, the Tigers' grounds crew got the tarp out and fully covered in no time and with no operational hiccups.

HISSES:

Rick Porcello: The Tigers needed a solid start from Porcello. They didn't get one. He gave up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits in just three innings, walking one intentionally while striking out just one batter. It was the shortest start of the season for Porcello.

Rain delay: A massive rainstorm tore through Detroit, putting the game in a delay for 2:42. The game should have been called but that wasn't the case and the Tigers resumed the game at 10:51pm, trailing 7-0 in the top of the fourth inning. It caused some of us in the press box to get a little creative with our time.

Tigers offense: Inconsistent as can be, the offense went down quietly for six innings, recording just two runs. Both the runs were unearned as a result of brief sloppy fielding by the Giants.

Evan Reed/Buck Farmer: Reed allowed a run on three hits in two innings, failing to record a strikeout. Farmer gave up just one hit, but that hit was a bomb off the bat of Pablo Sandoval for a home run. He struck out three in his two innings of work.

Shannon Hogan leaving FOX Sports Detroit: It's just not going to be the same without her around and she will be sorely missed.

NOTES::

Alex Avila missed his third consecutive start on Friday after being taken out of game one against the Indians on Tuesday when he was hit by a foul ball in the sixth inning. If Avila remains symptom-free through the day, then he could return to the lineup.

Rick Porcello was struck on the right foot on a hard comeback line shot by Brandon Crawford in the third inning, knocking him down. The ball deflected to third baseman, Nick Castellanos, who was unable to throw to first base in time for the third out, thereby allowing a run to score. Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand and Ausmus checked on Porcello, who was hobbled and in visible pain. Porcello remained in the game for the final out of the top of the third inning. It would be Porcello's last inning of the night, although not for medical reasons.

"The ball hit me between the ankle and the heel, and it's sore, but I'll be fine," Porcello said. "It isn't going to be a problem."

Tigers head groundskeeper Heather Nabozny suffered a right knee injury attempting to help put the tarp on the field when the monsoon hit Comerica Park. She underwent an MRI and is out indefinitely.

The game didn't end until well after midnight, but that didn't prevent the Tigers from blasting the fireworks they had set up.

STREAKS AND STATS:

  • The rain delay began at 8:09pm and lasted until 10:51pm for a delay of two hours, 42 minutes. The actual game lasted two hours, 48 minutes.
  • Friday's attendance was 31,940, ending the consecutive sellout streak at 10 games.
  • Rick Porcello lasted just three innings and gave up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits to take the loss. It was the shortest start he's recorded this season and the shortest since allowing nine runs over 2/3 of an inning of work on April 20, 2013 against the Angels. His one strikeout is the lowest number recorded in a start since he pitched a zero strikeout, four-hit complete-game shutout against the A's on July 1.
  • Miguel Cabrera had two hits and has recorded a multi-hit game in five of his last six games. Cabrera's two-out single in the first inning extended his hitting streak to five games. He is batting 10-19 in that time.
  • Ian Kinsler recorded two singles and finished 2-4 for the night with an RBI, extending his hitting streak to nine games. He is batting .349 in that time.

WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH:


Source: FanGraphs

ROLL CALL:

Roll Call Info
Total comments 699
Total commenters 43
Commenter list Al Beaton, AurelioFan, Bent82, DKohn81, Designated for Assignment, Detroit Fan 349, ExTeeBallPitcher, JWurm, J_the_Man, Jacob30, JakeJustice65, Jeff Price, JerseyTigerFan, Kazoonole, Kwisatz Haderach, LA Eric, MSUDersh, Max'sFangirl, Mink Farmer, NCDee, RedWingedLigerFan, SanDiegoMick, Sean Heyboer, SpartanBoiler, TheOwner6, Thirsty2, Tigerdog1, Tigersalltheway, Trainman, Verlanderful, aelix, ahtrap, bowling255, dynoooomite!, facetiously, frisbeepilot, knucklescarbone, mumblesaurus, rbbaker, rea, skysix, sluggonauts, subic sailor
Story URLs

TOP TEN COMMENTERS:

# Commenter # Comments
1 JerseyTigerFan 120
2 AurelioFan 77
3 sluggonauts 39
4 knucklescarbone 35
5 Tigerdog1 34
6 Verlanderful 34
7 dynoooomite! 33
8 JakeJustice65 33
9 NCDee 28
10 RedWingedLigerFan 27



TOP RECS:

# Recs Commenter Comment Link
3 J_the_Man HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGERHIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER HIT A DINGER
2 JakeJustice65 nice Filibuster technique Miggy
2 JerseyTigerFan Keep talking Miggy. Really have a dissertation up there.
2 Designated for Assignment I believe she grew up in upstate NY before her family moved to the Detroit area
2 NCDee This is kinda cool
2 Verlanderful Better go check on Reed, Jonesy



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