Detroit Tigers shock White Sox in opener of Javier Baez
Detroit Tigers’ Javier Baez swings the field 33 Liam Hendrix and shows why the organization’s $140 million investment over six years is expected to turn a profit.
Baez produced the sixth strike in his nine-year career in the MLS.
“Welcome to Detroit, Javy Baez,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said in his post-game opening remarks.
The ball soared from Bayes’ racket high in the air, bounced off the right-court wall over AJ Bullock’s outstretched glove, and Austin Meadows scored for a 5-4 win Friday afternoon on another cold opening day in front of 43,480 fans at Comerica Park.
“I knew she hit a wall,” Bays said.
The play was initially disqualified, but replay review dropped the call, and Tigers came out of the bunker into the Baez mob while the audience became unruly.
“It feels great,” Bayes said. “We need their support, and we saw that today. It was raining and it was cold, and (the fans) were here. I’m glad we had their support, and we hope they keep coming through the season.”
Mitch Boom:The opening day of the Tigers may be the beginning of a renewed love affair
There were many other heroes as well.
Dearborn Divine Child graduate Eric Haas tied the match by one for ninth in a solo race at home to left field. He entered as a pinch hit to start catcher Tucker Barnhart on the eighth.
“Our seat is very deep, and for some reason,” Haas said. “I know a lot of my AB members are going to come off the bench, and if you want to be a big player you have to play a big role. I’m taking that very seriously.”
The promoter, then with a single hit, rips a triple field to the right of center to create a bayes. He finished 1 vs. 2 with three walks on his Tigers debut after being acquired on Monday from Tampa Bay.
“I know Liam has a good fastball,” Meadows said. “I was just waiting for that pitch. He was throwing a pair of sliders in the dirt. I wasn’t looking for it. I was just trying to find the fast ball. He made a really good pitch, but I was just trying to be simple and use my hands.”
Miguel Cabrera also came in the first half earlier, throwing a total single thrower into the right midfield to net the score at 3-3. The Cabrera base hitting Hendriks came with the loaded bases for his 2988th career hit and the crowd erupted.
Jeff Seidel:The window is open to tigers. Why should they skip it now
But White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn threw a solo green light in the ninth round. Allowed by his confidant Gregory Soto, Homer put the White Sox ahead, 4-3, and seemed to spoil the Tigers’ opening day after a busy period of free agent additions and commercial takeovers.
Until the Tigers shined again in the final for a thrilling first victory.
“That’s why you play 27 teams,” Hinch said.
“They added two syllables which makes them much more difficult to form,” Hendricks said. “Two of these guys were the reason for the closure.”
Replay review
Facing Kyle Creek in the sixth inning, Robbie Grossman hit a first-court passer and Meadows made a seven-pitch walk.
Baez nearly sent fans into a frenzy when they run on their turf, but the ball he hooked him cut 332 feet to fly into the left warning lane.
Khimer Candelario put the Tigers on the scoreboard in sixth place with one individual in the middle. The difference was reduced to 3-1. The next hitter, Cabrera, came out to the White Sox shortstop Leury Garcia and controversy ensued.
Garcia turned the ball over to second baseman (and former Tiger) Josh Harrison, who fired at Jose Abreu initially for a double play. Candelario, who advanced to second base, was initially considered safe, but second base referee John Tombane ruled with slip interference.
The review upheld the re-decision on the ground.
“Under the terms of the law, you can’t contact the guy and impede the throw,” Hinch said. “I think John did a good job explaining the rule, but I just hate the rule… He wasn’t trying to hurt him. The spirit of the rule is to protect the man in the second. He’s been protected…..I’ve always had a hard time with this rule because the intent is Do no harm to anyone. This play will not harm anyone.”
Instead of Meadows scoring from third base, the Tigers – due to chip overlapping from Candelario – fell into a double game that ended in the first half.
Bayes finished 2-5 with two strokes.
He shone defensively, making the second web gem in the second half – picking with a backhand deep into the hole at a short point, followed by a spin before a dart throw for Spencer Turkelson (who grabbed the ball from the dirt) at the start position.
Torkelson went 0 for 4 with two hits on his MLB debut.
“Tork had some big plays in the beginning, and that’s a good reminder, don’t just go for Tork’s hitting average,” Hench said. “He’s a good player all the way. He didn’t get that first hit yet, but he contributed. We don’t win the game without Türk’s defense.”
[ Tigers seek ‘competitive rivalry’ with Chicago White Sox for AL Central ]
What Eduardo Rodriguez showed
Eduardo Rodriguez made four runs on his debut for the Tigers.
Unlike White Sox player Lucas Giolito, who came out after the fourth with a narrowing in the left side of the abdomen, Rodriguez was not left out from the start due to injury, but rather due to the height of the field.
Rodriguez allowed, 83 shots, three in four strokes and two in four strokes.
“I feel like my leadership wasn’t there at all,” Rodriguez said. “Every stadium, I feel like he wasn’t there. That’s all I can say about the start. I mean, I made four good runs, and the game saved the rest of the match.”
A surplus of those pitches were dumped in the first half, as Rodriguez — who signed a five-year, $77 million contract this off-season — needed 31 pitches to acquire three teams. He also threw 27 shots per second.
Rodriguez scored out against the first two players he faced in both rounds. Then the 29-year-old collapsed.
“He couldn’t finish the game,” Hinch said. “He was around the strike area but not necessarily commanding it as he normally would… He didn’t look like he was executed to the end.
“They really fought two-strokes. I thought the two-stroke style of the White Sox was a lot better than it was last season, and that’s something we have to watch out for. They didn’t give up anything at-the-bat when we had influence.”
At first, Bullock hit and stopped Louis Robert. The next three opponents arrived safely: Abreu (walking), Yasmane Grandal (walking) and Eloy Jimenez (RBI singles).
In the future:Tigers player Michael Pineda got off to a good start at Triple-A Toledo; More injury updates
In the second, Rodriguez scored a jump and a floor exit but ran into trouble against Jake Burger (double), Bullock (single RBI) and Robert (double RBI), giving the White Sox a 3-0 lead after the third inning.
“He was promoting his game, and they made it work,” Barnhart said. “He’s late on a few counts, and it’s a good lineup. It’s one of those things where you take (the start) first with a grain of salt, really across the board.”
Rodriguez, who threw 52 of his 83 strike throws, retired from the next six hits he faced, and carried him through the fourth inning, but Hinch didn’t let the opening day start come back for game five.
He had five swings and missed, 11 called strikes and two hits on his debut with Tiger.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter Tweet embed. Read more on Detroit Tigers and sign up for the Tigers newsletter.
