Detroit Tigers tee off to avoid sweep from Reds, 8-2: Game thread recap
Detroit Tigers (66-79) vs. Cincinnati Reds (76-71)
When: 1:10 p.m. Thursday.
Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1 in Detroit; Tigers radio affiliates).
Probable pitchers: Tigers RHP Reese Olson (3-7, 4.50 ERA) vs. Reds TBA.
Tigers lineup:
C Jake Rogers
1B Tyler Nevin
LF Akil Baddoo
SS Javier Báez
WEDNESDAY'S STRUGGLES Detroit Tigers unable to capitalize on runners in 4-3 loss to Cincinnati Reds
Who to follow: Evan Petzold, Free Press beat writer on Tigers.
Game notes: We should know early on whether Reese Olson will have a shot at a win in this one — when the rookie is bad, he’s often bad early, with 10 of his 43 earned runs allowed this season coming in the first inning, for a 6.00 ERA. (And that’s despite two of his 18 appearances featuring no-hit bids of at least five innings, including his last time out, Friday night against the Chicago White Sox.) Opposing hitters have a .748 OPS against Olson in the first frame, followed by a .517 OPS in the second and a .707 OPS in the third. (The fourth is also a little rocky for Olson, at .861, but then the fifth and sixth innings bring .597 and .454 OPSes, respectively.)
The Reds, meanwhile, entered Wednesday having scored 75 of their 692 runs — 10.8% — in the first; that’s pretty close to what you’d expect with an even run distribution — 11.1% — through all nine innings. They’ve cranked it up in the third inning this season, though, with 95 runs — 13.7% — in that frame. One big reason: Elly De La Cruz, one of the NL’s most exciting rookies. The 21-year-old has a ridiculous .293/.326/.732 slash line in the third inning; yes, that’s right, a .732 slugging percentage in the third (good for 10th in all of MLB this season), fueled by five home runs (of 11 on the season).
After they wrap up their series today, the Tigers and Reds head to opposite coasts. The Tigers will pack it up for a long haul to California, where they’ll face the Los Angeles Angels (in Anaheim) on Friday-Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers (in Los Angeles) on Monday-Wednesday and the Oakland Athletics (not yet relocated to Las Vegas, barely) next Thursday-Sunday. The Reds, meanwhile, will have a much shorter trip, with a jaunt to Queens for a three-game date with the Mets beginning Friday.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers beat Cincinnati Reds, 8-2: Game thread recap
