Mariners 7, Tigers 6: Four home runs not enough as Tigers fall to Seattle

Tigers left-handed pitchers did more damage to themselves than Detroit did to Seattle, as the Tigers lost in 11 innings to the Seattle Mariners, 7- 6.

For the second night in a row, Nick Castellanos opened the scoring with a home run. This was a two run shot to give the Tigers the lead. Mark Krauss followed with a solo shot in his first at bat as a Tiger to make it 3- 0 in the second inning. This was the second night in a row that the Tigers hit back to back home runs.

Kyle Ryan started out with a pair of seven pitch innings in the first and second, but that didn't last, as he gave up three consecutive singles to start the third inning, loading the bases with no outs, and Austin Jackson hit a grand slam to put Seattle ahead. Franklin Gutierrez followed with his first home run of the season to make it 5- 3. Nelson Cruz doubled into the gap to make it six hits in a row, and Ryan's night was done. Ryan was optioned after the game, with Buck Farmer recalled by the Tigers.

A double by J.D. Martinez and a two-run homer by Alex Avila in the fourth inning tied the score at 5- 5. Alex Wilson came in to close out the third inning, and gave up a double and a walk in the fourth but got out of the jam. Running on fumes, he gave up a solo home run to Robinson Cano in the fifth inning to make it 6- 5 Seattle.Two more singles and a double play ball, and Wilson was done after throwing 44 pitches.

Al Alburquerque held the Mariners in check, retiring all six batters he faced in two scoreless innings, and the Tigers remained silent until Yoenis Cespedes blasted a home run in the eighth inning off Fernando Rodney to tie the game at 6- 6. Blaine Hardy came on in the eighth and gave up a hit but retired the side.

Seattle went to their closer, Carson Smith for the top of the ninth, and he struck out the side. Bruce Rondon came in for Detroit in the ninth, giving up a pinch hit single to Seth Smith and Austin Jackson sacrificed the runner to second. Rondon struck out Gutierrez and Cano flew out to left to end the threat, sending the game to extra innings.

With one out in the Tigers 10th, Gose singled to center, and hustled into second when Jackson took his time getting to the ball. Smith struck out Iglesias and Gose took third on a fielding error, but the Tigers failed to score. When Rondon walked the lead off man in the 10th inning, Ausmus brought in Ian Krol (while Joakim Soria rested). Krol struck out Seager on a 3- 2 pitch, then walked Ackley on four pitches. Logan Morrison popped up in the infield and Mike Zunino grounded into a force to end the inning.

Victor Martinez led off the 11th inning with a double. Andrew Romine pinch ran and J.D. Martinez was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Avila was left in to face the left handed Furbush with McCann on the bench, and he took a called third strike after failing to get the bunt down. Romine stole third as Castellanos struck out, and Rajai Davis then pinch hit for Krauss, and struck out to strand the runners.

Krol came out for the 11th inning and gave up a leadoff single to Brad Miller. Jackson failed to get the bunt down, and hit a shot to third base, Castellano firing to second to force the runner. The right handed Gutierrez singled to left, Jackson stopping at second. Cano drilled a base hit down the right field line on a pitch right down the middle and the game was over.

ROARS:

- Nick Castellanos remained hot, hitting a two run homer over Austin Jackson's head in center field.

- Mark Krauss hit a home run in his first at bat as a Tiger, being the first to do so since Delmon Young on Aug. 15, 2011. Jhonny Peralta also accomplished the feat on July 30, 2010.

- Alex Avila hit a two run homer, walked and scored a pair of runs, and Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo shot

- Al Alburquerque pitched consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh, with three strikeouts

HISSES:

- Kyle Ryan lasted only 2-2/3 innings, giving up 5 runs, 6 hits, marking the fifth time in seven starts that he has failed to pitch more than four innings.

- Ian Kinsler led off the game with a bunt single after going 0 for 5 on Monday. He was promptly picked off for the fifth time this season. Iglesias was also picked off after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning. TOOTBLAN troubles.

- Ian Krol faced eight batters giving up three hits and a walk to take the loss

STREAKS AND STATS:

- The Tigers are scoring 5.82 runs per game over the past 18 games. That's over a run more than their season average. Unfortunately, they are allowing an even bigger 6.53 runs per game in that span.

- Mariners’ starting pitcher Tajuan Walker came into the game riding a five game winning streak, posting a 1.67 ERA in his past five starts. Five runs is the most he has allowed in his last twelve starts. Tonight was the first game that Walker faced the Tigers.

- J.D. Martinez now ranks second in the American league in both home runs with 24 and RBI with 58. He trails the Angels’ Albert Pujols by two home runs and is just one RBI shy of league leader Mark Teixeira of the Yankees.

- The Mariners’ offense is dead last in the league with just 3.41 runs scored per game and in batting average, hitting just .227 as a team. The Tigers’ recent offensive surge has put them fourth overall in the A.L., scoring 4.52 runs per game, and they lead the league with a .281 team batting average.

The Tigers close out the series with an afternoon contest tomorrow, then head to Minnesota for a four game series with the Twins, before taking four days off for the All star break.

WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH:

Source: FanGraphs