The Detroit Tigers lost their past two games by a total of 19 runs.
The good news is they don’t have to dwell on their back-to-back poor outings. They will play the second game of a weekend series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday afternoon.
After getting blasted 9-1 by the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, the Tigers were clobbered 10-0 by the Brewers on Friday night.
Milwaukee rookie pitcher Tobias Myers, recalled from the minors this week, gave up just one hit in eight innings — Matt Vierling’s leadoff single in the first.
Meanwhile, Detroit starter Reese Olson surrendered eight runs and 12 hits in four innings. Things got so out of hand that utility player Zach McKinstry wound up as the Tigers’ final pitcher for the second consecutive game.
“I’m glad we don’t have to think about this much longer,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We have the quicker turnaround with the 4 o’clock game. Less time to think about this one.”
Casey Mize (1-3, 4.70 ERA) will start the middle game of the three-game series for Detroit. The right-hander has failed to get through five innings in each of his past three outings.
Mize was charged with six runs in 1 2/3 innings at Kansas City on May 21. He allowed three runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings against Toronto on May 26. In his last outing on Sunday, Mize gave up three runs (two earned) in four innings at Boston.
Mize walked a season-high four batters against the Red Sox.
“I definitely need to be more efficient,” he said. “Four innings isn’t good enough. Four walks. Long at-bats. That didn’t help my pitch count (82 pitches), and they had a row of lefties coming up.”
He will be facing Milwaukee for the first time in his career.
The Brewers will start Freddy Peralta (4-3, 3.74 ERA), who recorded a season-high-tying 11 strikeouts two starts ago against the Chicago Cubs on May 28. In his latest outing, against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, Peralta gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in five innings while notching seven strikeouts.
Peralta needed 97 pitches to get 15 outs but still collected his first win since April 30.
“He gave up the two runs (in the first inning), then shut it down from there,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s more pitches than I’d like to see him throw in five innings, but good start.”
Peralta has made two career starts against the Tigers, going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
He certainly would like the run support that Myers received on Friday. The Brewers scored five runs in the second inning and continued to build their lead. They were limited to a total of two runs while being swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in three games earlier this week.
“Their at-bats were really impressive against (Olson) on all pitches,” Hinch said.
Brewers leadoff hitter Brice Turang had four hits, scored two runs and drove in two more. Three other Milwaukee players had two RBIs apiece.
“Turang has been unbelievable all year,” Murphy said. “Those guys are hungry. They’re playing hungry. It’s just great to see.”
–Field Level Media
