Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani hits a double that bounces over the center field wall to bring in a run and give the Detroit Tigers a lead in the ninth inning of a game Friday in Detroit.
11:22 JST, July 13, 2024
DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s two-out RBI double gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a ninth-inning lead, and they held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Friday, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Chris Taylor singled off Jason Foley with one out in the ninth and took over third on Austin Barnes’ pinch-hit single off Tyler Holton (4-2). Gavin Lux retired, but Ohtani hit an 0-1 sinker to deep outfield for what appeared to be a two-run double.
However, the ball bounced into the brush behind the center field fence, forcing Barnes to stop at third base. After Tigers manager A.J. Hinch intentionally walked Will Smith to load the bases, right fielder Wenceel Pérez made a sliding catch to rob Freddie Freeman of a two-run single.
Daniel Hudson retired Ryan Vilade at the start of the ninth inning, but also walked Colt Keith and Pérez before retiring Matt Vierling and Riley Greene to record his fourth save.
The Dodgers trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning, but two-out singles by Smith and Freeman put runners at the corners. Foley came in, but Teoscar Hernández hit a tying single between first and second base.
Neither starter was involved in the decision. Tarik Skubal allowed two runs on two hits in six innings, striking out eight in his final start before the All-Star Game.
James Paxson allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first. With one out, Justyn-Henry Malloy singled, Vierling walked and Greene hit a two-run double into the right-center gap. Malloy made it 3-0 with a two-out triple in the second.
Skubal didn’t allow a hit until Freeman homered with one out in the fourth. Andy Pages made it 3-2 with an RBI single later in the inning.
The Dodgers scored the tying run at third base in the seventh inning, but Will Vest struck out Miguel Vargas to end the inning.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped his team get two outs on the bases in the seventh inning. Pérez led off the inning with a single and appeared to have stolen second base, but the call was overturned upon answering. With two outs, Blake Treinen needed another review to show that he had plucked Greene from first base.
The game drew 42,060 fans, the first sellout crowd at Comerica Park since the home game against the Oakland Athletics on April 5 was filled to capacity with 44,711.
