Detroit needed only the first inning to establish control, and the Tigers never let go. Troy Melton was sharp from the start, and the offense built a lead that Oakland could never seriously threaten, as the Tigers rolled to a 6-1 win Wednesday at Comerica Park.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| DET | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 7 | 1 |
Melton was the story on the mound. The right-hander worked 5.1 innings, allowing just 1 run — unearned — on 4 hits, walking 1 and striking out 9 on 91 pitches. His ERA: 1.82. He picked up his fifth win against one loss. Three Detroit relievers covered the final 3.2 innings without allowing a run.
The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the first when Dingler scored on a Riley Greene single to right, giving Detroit a lead it would not relinquish. In the second, Jake Rogers homered to left center — a 376-foot shot — with McKinstry aboard, extending the lead to 3-0. Rogers finished 2-for-2 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI and a walk. The Athletics got one back in the fourth when Soderstrom scored on a throwing error by shortstop McKinstry, but Detroit answered emphatically in the fifth. Spencer Torkelson launched a three-run homer to left — 363 feet — scoring Rogers and McGonigle to push the lead to 6-1, where it stayed.
Jeffrey Springs absorbed the loss for Oakland, falling to 3-9. He lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing 6 runs on 6 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts on 92 pitches. His ERA: 6.08. Oakland's offense managed 7 hits but could not convert, and J. Kuroda-Grauer's 3-for-4 effort went for nothing.
Torkelson finished 1-for-3 with a walk, 3 RBI and his 15th home run of the season. He is now 5 away from 100 career home runs. Detroit extended its winning streak to four games and improved to 42-50. Oakland dropped its fifth straight, falling to 41-51.