The Detroit Tigers Nick Maton jumps on home plate for the Tigers seventh run of the game after blasting a three run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning for a Tigers two run win at Comerica Park in Detroit on Fri Apr 14, 2023 (@tigers photo)

 11th Inning Detroit Home Run Beats San Francisco 7-5

By Barbara Mason

After a day off Thursday, the San Francisco Giants (5-8) traveled to Detroit for a three game series with the Tigers (4-9). The Giants are coming off a disappointing series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They lost that series 1-2, having bullpen struggles and leaving far too many runners on base.

In Friday’s game San Francisco starter Sean Manaea took the mound and pitching 3.1 innings giving up four hits and two runs. The Giants didn’t get the innings that they would hope from Manaea. The Giants stranding runners has also been a problem. The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the 11th to seal the deal with a 7-5 win at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Game wrap: The Tigers have had a rough start this season, but did have a couple of wins against the Houston Astros and a win over Toronto. This team does have the fire power to beat San Francisco.

The Giants had the first run of the game. Thairo Estrada hit a solo home run to center field in the first inning and the Giants had a promising start to this game.

The Tigers would answer back in the second inning. Spencer Torkelson sacrificed left and Javier Baez scored tying this game 1-1.

The Giants bats would go cold through the seventh inning. Detroit would break the tie in the third inning. Riley Greene tripled driving Matt Vierling home taking a 2-1 lead. In the fifth inning the Tigers scored a couple of runs to take a 4-1 lead. Javier Baez doubled and runners Greene and Vierling both scored. Vierling and Greene were making an impact in this game with two innings left in the game.

The Giants got some offense going in the eighth inning. With one out San Francisco had Estrada on third base and Mike Yastrzemski on first. J.D. Davis would come to the plate and homer to right to tie up this game 4-4. It was a new ball game.

This game would go into the ninth inning still tied 4-4. With two outs, Michael Conforto walked (Blake Sabol would run for Conforto) and Estrada came to the plate reaching second base on an error and San Francisco had two runners on base with Wilmer Flores at the plate. Flores would fly out and San Francisco had squandered a golden opportunity.

The game would go into extra innings. Neither team was able to score in the tenth inning. Detroit had a runner on third base but came up empty. It was on to the 11th inning. With runners at first and third LaMonte Wade Jr. singled, David Villar scored and the Giants led 5-4 for the first time in the game.

Detroit had their golden opportunity in the 11th inning. With two runners on base, Nick Maton unleashed a bullet to right center and the Tigers had their fourth win of the year 7-5. The Giants had lost another disappointing game. When push came to shove it was the Tigers that cashed in.

Sean Manaea was only able to go 3.1 innings and the Giants sent six pitchers to the mound in this game. Camilo Doval pitched the 11th inning allowing the Maton home run. The Giants had 11 hits but it was not enough to get past Detroit. San Francisco had a ninth inning opportunity but couldn’t get the job done.

The Giants will try to even this series Saturday starting for the Giants Anthony DeSclafani (0-1, ERA 0.73) the Tigers have not announced a starter at press time. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 AM.