Saturday’s Game Report: Tigers 11, Cardinals 6 (8 innings)
By Rob Rains
When Tigers’ leadoff hitter Colt Keith lined Dustin May’s fifth pitch off the pitcher’s right ankle, it should have been a sign of what kind of day it was going to be for May and the Cardinals’ pitchers.
May was only able to get 10 outs and the bullpen did not offer much relief as the Tigers pounded the Cardinals on Saturday in the second game of the weekend series in Detroit.
The Tigers hammered four home runs in their 12-hit attack off May and three relievers.
The only bright spot of the day for the Cardinals was a grand slam from Jordan Walker, who also set a career high with five RBIs.
Here is how Saturday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals received six walks and had five players reach when they were hit by a pitch, but only three of them came around to score … JJ Wetherholt was on base four times with two walks, a hit by pitch and a single … The Cardinals trailed 7-1 after the fourth inning but a hit batter, two walks and a double brought Walker to the plate with the bases loaded in the fifth and he hit his first career grand slam, a 459-foot blast in the five-run inning that cut the deficit to 7-6 … Walker had driven in the first Cardinals run with a two-out single in the third, following a leadoff double by Ivan Herrera, and he added his third hit, another single, in the seventh and then stole second.
On the mound: May gave up seven runs, three coming in the first inning and three before he was knocked out of the game with one out in the fourth … Justin Bruihl allowed one inherited runner to score and the Tigers added to their lead with home runs off Matt Svanson and Chris Roycroft.
Key stat: May allowed six runs in his first start of the season, making this the first time in his career he has allowed six or more runs in consecutive starts. He also is the first starter to allow six or more runs in his first two starts of the season for the Cardinals since Alan Benes gave up seven runs in his first two career starts in 1995.
Worth noting: As expected Masyn Winn did not play on Saturday after leaving early from Friday’s game because of tightness in his left hip. Winn said the soreness was not related to his car accident on Wednesday but from taking extra batting practice in the cage on Tuesday … Herrera’s double leading off the third snapped a streak of 84 consecutive at-bats by the Cardinals without an extra base hit dating back to Tuesday … The game was stopped by rain with one out in the top of the ninth and was called after a short delay … The Cardinals fell to 4018 in games in Detroit since 2006.
Up next: The Cardinals will try to avoid the three-game sweep on Sunday night, sending Kyle Leahy to the mound. Detroit was scheduled to start Justin Verlander but he was placed on the injured list Saturday because of hip inflammation. The game will be broadcast on Peacock and the NBC Sports Network.
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