DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning to rally the Detroit Tigers over the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Wednesday.
The Padres led 3-2 going into the ninth and brought on closer Taylor Rogers (1-5), who gave up a one-run lead in the ninth on Tuesday night in a game San Diego eventually won in the 10th.
“This is a tough game, especially for a closer,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s been one pitch away on each of the last two nights and it hasn’t worked out.”
This time, Jeimer Canderlario led off with a double before Rogers retired the next two batters. Jonathan Schoop followed with a dribbler down the third-base line for a single that put runners at the corners.
“In the first half of the season, that ball probably rolls foul and Jonathan gets rung up on a borderline third strike,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Winning this series, and even coming back in the ninth inning before losing yesterday — that’s a lot more like the team we were last season.”
Reyes then hit a drive over the head of right fielder Nomar Mazara to win it. Mazara got close to the wall chasing the ball and let the carom bounce past him, and both runners easily scored.
“It’s amazing,” Reyes said of his first walk-off hit. “You don’t usually get a situation where you can change a series with one swing, but that’s what happened today.”
Rogers said his frustration level was high after two bad outings in less than 24 hours.
“In the last few hours, I was really trying to focus on execution,” he said. “I just wanted to get out there, get the first hitter out and go from there. Then I give up the double, which shouldn’t happen, and all of a sudden, we lose the game.”
Michael Fulmer (3-4), the subject of numerous…
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