Evan Longoria and Mike Yastrzemski stroked two-out, two-run hits and closer Camilo Doval stranded the bases loaded with an inning-ending strikeout in the eighth Tuesday night as the San Francisco Giants held on for a 4-3 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers in the opener of a two-game interleague series.
Playing in San Francisco for the first time since Game 2 of the 2012 World Series, the Tigers couldn’t overcome a 4-0 deficit despite out-hitting the hosts 10-7.
Longoria gave the Giants a lead they never relinquished with a first-inning single off Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (5-6) that scored Wilmer Flores and Joc Pederson.
Longoria also contributed to a two-run fifth when he greeted reliever Wily Peralta with a two-out single, after which a wild pitch and Yastrzemski’s single made it 4-0.
Skubal, who was pulled after 4 2/3 innings, was charged with three runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out five.
Facing a longtime American League Central rival, Giants starter Carlos Rodon (7-4) lost a shutout bid in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Miguel Cabrera.
The left-hander called it a night after six innings, having limited the Tigers to just the one run on seven hits. He struck out four and did not walk anyone.
Detroit had greater success against the San Francisco bullpen, inching closer on Jeimer Candelario’s run-scoring, ground-rule double in the seventh, then within 4-3 on Willi Castro’s two-out RBI single in the eighth.
After Dominic Leone walked Candelario to load the bases and advance the potential game-tying run to within 90 feet of the plate, Doval came on to strike out Jonathan Schoop to retain the slim lead.
Asked to pitch more than one inning for just the third time this season, Doval took down the Tigers in the ninth for his 12th save despite a one-out walk to Robbie Grossman, getting Javier Baez to ground into a game-ending double play.
Longoria was the lone Giant with two hits in the win, which was San Francisco’s second in four outings to open an eight-game homestand.
Cabrera, Castro, Candelario and Riley Greene all had two hits for the Tigers, who lost for the fifth time on an eight-game trip that ends with Wednesday’s afternoon rematch.
The Giants swept the Tigers 4-0 in the 2012 World Series.
–Field Level Media
