Indians 8, Tigers 0: Detroit offense absent yet again in loss

The Detroit Tigers got their first hit earlier in this game, but the result was the same by the end of it. Detroit’s offense managed just four hits in an 8-0 loss against the Cleveland Indians, their fourth defeat in a row. It was the seventh time the Tigers have been shutout in 2019.

The Indians got on the board early, scoring in the top of the first against Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull. Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis hit two-out doubles, putting the Tribe up 1-0 before Detroit’s offense came to the plate. The Tigers recorded their first hit in the bottom of the frame, a single off the bat of Nicholas Castellanos, but wouldn’t threaten until the second, when Harold Castro led off the inning with a triple. Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn’t score him, leaving the score as is.

That wouldn’t last for long, though. Francisco Lindor doubled with one out in the second, and scored on an Oscar Mercado single to double Cleveland’s lead. Kipnis added to his tally with a two-run homer later in the frame, effectively putting the game out of Detroit’s reach at 4-0.

Though the game was all but over at that point — Detroit hasn’t scored more than four runs in a game since June 8, and only three times in the month of June — the Indians added two more runs off Turnbull in the fourth to pad their lead. The rookie righthander finally departed after five innings, having allowed six runs on 10 hits. Austin Adams gave up runs in the sixth and seventh, extending Cleveland’s lead to 8-0.

Meanwhile, Trevor Bauer continued his dominance over the Tigers. He struck out eight, and held the Tigers scoreless on just four hits for the first shutout of his career. It was his first complete game since 2016.

The good

The Tigers cannot lose on Monday, because they do not have a game.

The bad

[gestures wildly toward this entire game]

The ugly

After a short two-game series against Pittsburgh, the Tigers face the Indians again next weekend at Progressive Field.