The Detroit Tigers’ offense didn’t stay cold for very long.
Following a three-game series against the Texas Rangers in which the Tigers only pushed across six runs, Detroit routed the Boston Red Sox 14-2 on Monday.
The Tigers and Red Sox will play the middle game of a three-game series in Detroit on Tuesday.
Detroit’s series-opening barrage included a proverbial Little League homer. Riley Greene hit a two-run single during a nine-run third inning outburst and circled the bases when the ball got past right fielder Wilyer Abreu.
“It was great to be able to score all those runs,” Greene said. “That’s a good guy (Tanner Houck) on the mound. To be able to get all those runs and win the baseball game, that’s a good thing.”
Casey Mize would have been due to start on Tuesday, but the Tigers right-hander was placed on the injured list after his most recent start due to a left hamstring strain.
“We got it checked out after the game and it was confirmed there was a strain, but very mild, very minor,” Mize said. “It’s one of those things where we just felt like this was the right move. Be more conservative because it’s May. If it was September, we may not be having this conversation. I’m not overly concerned that it’ll be too long.”
In his place, the Tigers plan to use left-hander Tyler Holton as an opener ahead of Keider Montero, who will be recalled from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the Tuesday game.
Montero (1-1, 4.15 ERA) has shuttled back and forth between the majors and the minors this year. He had a stellar outing in his latest call-up, holding the Colorado Rockies to one run and five hits in eight innings as Detroit completed a doubleheader sweep on Thursday.
“Talk about guys coming up and helping us win a game, that’s what we want, and he sure did that,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
Montero was a regular part of Detroit’s injury-riddled rotation as a rookie during the second half of last season. He lost a highly competitive battle for a rotation spot in spring training but has made four starts for the Tigers, either in doubleheaders or when Hinch temporarily used a six-man rotation.
Montero has never faced the Red Sox.
Holton (2-2, 3.12 ERA) will be making his first start of the season after 15 relief outings. He has no decisions and a 1.50 ERA in five career appearances against Boston, all in relief.
Boston right-hander Brayan Bello will make his fifth start of the season. Bello (2-0, 2.01) has allowed only 18 hits in 22 1/3 innings. His issues have been mainly keeping the ball in the strike zone, as he has walked 12 while striking out 13.
Bello didn’t give up a run to Texas on Thursday but only lasted 4 2/3 innings as he issued five walks during an 83-pitch outing.
“Yeah, a lot of walks,” Bello said through an interpreter. “A few pitches that weren’t executed the way I wanted, but I was able to get out of those (innings) and go four, almost five innings and keep us with the lead.”
The Red Sox went on to win the game 5-0 as three relievers finished off the shutout.
“Erratic,” manager Alex Cora said of Bello’s outing. “Five walks. A lot of traffic. Gave us enough and the bullpen did an amazing job.”
Bello has walked at least three batters in all but one of his starts.
“That’s a hard way to live,” Cora said. “I believe his stuff is elite. I believe he can be more aggressive in the zone. Obviously, we take what we have right now.”
Bello has made two career starts against Detroit, going 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA.
–Field Level Media
